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Today's Gospel: Luke 9:51-56

Have you ever wanted to take things into your own hands and control the situation? As a mom myself, I can safely answer that question with a resounding YES! If this is a form of abuse of power...well, be that as it may. As the matriarch of this family, I have influence and authority, and power (if you will), but I’d rather it be regarded as influence and inspiration instead. Mainly, it’s because I love my family so much that I want everything to work out perfectly and in their favor. Watching our son get bullied by a couple of neighborhood kids made me madder than a hornet and I wanted to take each and every kid by the scruff of their necks and give them a taste of their own medicine. My son begged me not to intervene, and it would have made it worse for him, so I had to stand back and watch in agony until the next year when nature took its course and he grew 8 inches!

John and James were only doing what their hearts led them to do: fight back, force the issue, make the Samaritans love Jesus and treat Him with the respect He deserved. When others didn't act the way James and John expected them to, punishment was the only answer. But forcing someone to do the right thing never leads to a deep, whole-heart conversion; we humans need to learn these things in our own time. No consuming blaze will ever make a difference; it will destroy without the chance for conversion. Christ knew that and wanted John and James to learn that too.

The best thing we can do for anyone is to pray for them. Fast, pray for them, put them in God’s hands; this is God's gentle way.

Ponder:

Is there a situation or a person in your life that you want to change?  Is God asking you to pray and trust him?

Pray:

Dear Lord, I want everyone to love you and do the right things in their lives. Help me to be patient and pray more for them. Patience is a virtue that I don’t always possess, but your will be done. I pray for patience and trust in your good providence in all things. Amen.

Copyright 2014 Ebeth Weidner