Tuesday, August 1, 2023
In the previous verses, [1] Jesus warned that what we assume as light in us can actually be darkness. Then, he warned the people who had invited him over for a meal that they should take a look inside themselves. They were spending a great deal of time, energy, and worry over being clean outside. While being clean outside was good, the bigger issue was on the inside — whether their hearts were clean. Knowing them and their values, Jesus challenged them to do something that would reveal just who they really were, inside and out. He spoke to their greed. While they may have looked religious and righteous on the outside, he knew that greed was consuming them on the inside. In our age, Jesus' challenge still stands — take a look on the inside. And the monster on the inside for a lot of us today is still the same: greed.
Father, forgive me for my greed. I know that many of your children live with joy in the midst of poverty. I know many of them are far more generous than I am. Open my heart and cleanse me through and through. Make me more generous with others, just as you have been generous with me. Thank you for all of my blessings, in Jesus' name. Amen.
What Jesus Did! is a series of one-year devotional guides through each gospel, using one short scripture passage each day and following the Gospel in sequential order. Each devotional consists of a scripture passage and a reflection and a prayer which open up the day's scripture and show how it challenges you to live for Jesus.
What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware and is available in book form.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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