For a description of the (Y2) reading plan, see the “About” page.
Matt. 8
What does Jesus’ response to the leper in v. 3 suggest about God’s heart toward you? The leper was unclean, a social outcast, not permitted to be near people, untouchable. By faith, he mustered up the courage to not let what he was stop him from coming before Jesus. And Jesus touched him and made him something new.
The centurion was a Roman authority; a man of power and position. By faith, he had the humility to acknowledge Jesus’ ultimate authority. Jesus gave him exactly what he requested.
Jesus healed Peter’s mother-in-law and she immediately began to serve Him.
The teacher of the law was no doubt a man of great means. He wanted to follow Jesus, but was he willing to leave behind his comforts?
And was the other disciple truly willing to put Jesus first? In order to live, we must recognize that we are dead without Christ. We must be willing to let our old life, which isn’t life at all, go.
The disciples were in the boat with Jesus, yet they feared the storm. They lacked both the courage of the leper and the humble understanding of the centurion. They lacked faith, yet still Jesus helped them.
Then there were the towns’ people of the demon possessed men across the lake. They witnessed who Jesus was but they sent Him away.
Where do I find myself in all of this? Where do I want to find myself? I pray for the courage to humble myself before others to accept and serve Jesus’ authority in my life, letting go of my old ways and all that I think is mine. I pray that I will know without a doubt that Jesus is my refuge in the storm and I need not fear. May I never send Him out of my life but follow willingly wherever He leads. No matter what the cost.
Num. 33-34
Map out your life history in major stages. Where do you see God’s faithfulness and purposes? The Word of God is amazing. It has a way of speaking into your thoughts. It is unlike any other written work. I typed out the above thoughts after reading Matthew 8. And then I read about the Israelites. “They marched out defiantly in full view of all the Egyptians, who were burying all their firstborn” (Num. 33:3). One passage has absolutely nothing to do with the other, I know. Yet what I see is the courage of that leper, who defiantly presented himself before Jesus in full view of those who would condemn him for his actions. And I see a people leaving their old lives, with whatever comforts they may have had, behind, leaving the dead to bury their dead.
So even though each believer’s story is completely different, they are all entirely the same. Each one starts with a courageous act of humility and each one ends with a promised inheritance in God’s Kingdom.