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Luke 6:12-16
One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles: Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
New International Version (NIV)
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Have you ever had “one of those days”? What do you do when you know you are having one? Does it help to know that Jesus had “one of those days”? I had to check verse 12 in the original language to confirm it. There it is: “On one of those days . . .” They probably didn’t mean what we mean by our expression. One of those days for us is a day when Murphy’s Law takes over: you know, “Whatever can go wrong will go wrong.” Someone said, “Murphy was an optimist.” Honestly, on one of those days, it seems like Murphy greets us when we awake and follows us with a baseball bat all day.
What did Jesus do on one of those days? He prayed. Luke particularly shows us Jesus’ life of prayer. Jesus had so much to do that he needed help. You might think Jesus would just walk out and tag twelve people on the shoulder. No. He spent the whole night in prayer. Then after leaning his arms on the windowsill of heaven, he turned, strongly to find the right helpers to join him in the work. He took some of the disciples, “learners,” and made them apostles, “ones who are sent.”
If you had to name the twelve without looking at the list how many would you get? Would you have picked volatile Peter who vacillated between greatness and failure? The Sons of Thunder who wanted to incinerate a village in Samaria? Judas Iscariot would become a traitor. Didn’t Jesus already know? I wonder if Jesus was giving him a chance, believing the best and hoping for transformation? We don’t know for sure.
If you are having one of those days, it is good, at least not to be alone. So for three years this group walked with Jesus. Then on the night of Judas’s betrayal, they scattered like quail. As the hymn puts it, “But he suffered and died alone.” I hope today is not “one of those days” for you. But if it is, be assured, you are not alone. God will never leave you nor forsake you. His grace will sustain you. Talk to the Father. That’s what Jesus did. He did it so much that one of these twelve asked him in 11:1, “Teach us to pray.” So he did.
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Pray with me:
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one. For yours is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
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Join us in memorizing the Word. Scripture for this week:
Matthew 5:3-4
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
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| Our 2020 Every Day with Jesus readings will follow the Foundations New Testament reading plan. Copies of the reading plan are available at Tallowood Baptist Church, or download your copy at REPLICATE.ORG
We would love for you to join us as we read the New Testament through this year, five chapters a week. In addition I will continue my long-standing practice of reading one Psalm a day through the year. Use Robby Gallaty’s H. E. A. R. plan to study each chapter (also found at REPLICATE.ORG). Highlight verses which speak to you, explain what they mean in your own words in a journal, apply them to your own life, then respond by doing what God tells you to do.
Joyfully,
Duane
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