PERSONAL JOURNAL:
SIN ( Luke 8:25 ): Throughout the actual storms, His disciples were struggling to maintain their calm and faith while on the boat. When Jesus cleared these treacherous storms, He simply asked them one question—“where is your faith?” I often struggle with this same thing in my own life’s storms, Father. I do go to You, but I often find myself being extremely troubled and sometimes overwhelmed with worry and fear in the middle of those storms just like Your disciples here, Father. Please forgive me for this and help me to bring Your peace and calm in those storms truly into my heart, so that I do not have to be asked “where is your faith?”
PROMISE ( Luke 8:52-55 ): In these verses, You make a promise to the people surrounding a daughter who became ill and had just passed away in their minds as He approached the home to heal her. Jesus made a promise to them that she was surely not dead but simply asleep. Although they mocked and laughed at Jesus in that moment, He still proceeded to heal her in front of some disciples and the girl’s parents. He made a promise for her healing, but also that she was not dead and He fulfilled those promises and brought her back to her parents in full health! This is amazing, but it does make me wonder what happened with this girl. Did she truly embrace You as her Lord and Savior in her heart from that day forward and do great things for Your kingdom, Father? What ever came of her? I have so many questions that I know I will receive answers to one day, but today is not that day.
ATTITUDE ( Luke 8:50 ): Although these things are always based on what it within Your will and not my own, Jesus tells the father of this dying (perceived as already dead) daughter to not be afraid as his faith will heal her. I often walk in a bit of fear when me or one of my family members is not doing so well, Father. This is not the attitude You want me to embrace in my life. You want me to shed all fear and walk in my faith because You are in control of everything and will only allow to happen whatever may be in Your will in that moment. Although I may not want to accept some of Your decisions in the moment, I know that Your plans are far greater than my own and sometimes tragedy needs to happen for Your plans to come to fruition. Help me to be better at letting go of my fears and instead simply and continuously walking in faith, Father, trusting that Your will is what is always right regardless of the earthly outcome.
COMMAND ( Luke 8:15 ): In this verse, I see a command that I am to sow seeds in good ground. This doesn’t mean that I simply know the word of God as everyone can know what seeds are. This means that not only am I to sow seeds in this life, but to do so in good ground so that the seed may flourish in this life through an honest and good heart, endurance, and by holding onto it in my hear so that it may bear fruit for Your Kingdom, not for me. Help me to acknowledge this more, Father, but also to understand and recognize when I am not following this.
EXAMPLE ( Luke 8:20-21 ): This is such an important example that Jesus gives. I’ve embraced it partially in my heart, but I am definitely not anywhere near where Jesus is on this topic. He is told that His mother and brothers are waiting to see Him. His response is that His mother and brothers are “those who hear and do the word of God.” Those who hear AND do the word of God. Not those who know the word of God; not those who claim to be followers, but those who head AND do the word of God. They are all my mother, father, brother, sister, etc. in this life if they have shown through their ACTIONS, not their words that they are followers of You. WOW! This is a powerful statement, but also shows me the expansion not only of Your kingdom, but also my true family in this life as You have meant it to be. Help me embrace this fully in my heart, Father, so that I can have the big family in this world which You want me to have.
*DAILY NOTE: I really do love how Luke writes about the Gospel, Father. The words You had him use in his take on Jesus’ journey truly to speak loudly to me in this season and I want to thank You for that. Although I have not been living in consistency in my quiet times as of late, You are always faithful and always know exactly what I need to hear in any given moment. Thank You, Father.
EXPAND TO READ: GENERAL NOTE FOR MY QUIET TIMES
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