Loving God, may today be a somber day of remembrance that freedom comes with a great price. May Your comfort be with all the loved ones of those who died in our wars. In Christ Jesus' Name I pray, amen.
Our text for today comes from Luke 24: 44 Then he said to them, "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled." 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, 46 and he said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high." 50 Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. 52 And they worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; 53 and they were continually in the temple blessing God. (NRSV).
Twice in this chapter we read of the power of Jesus to open both our eyes and our minds to deeper understanding of the things of God. That's really the key of a deeper relationship with God when we "go deep." To try to know God in a shallow way both cheats us and demeans God. Basically what Jesus is saying is that we can't just read those parts of the Bible where we read every day or every time we pick up the Word of God. Not that that isn't meaningful or powerful, but there's so much more! To better understand and to gather a deeper meaning of our favorite passage, know the whole story of God and God's plan and purpose for our lives.
The disciples and followers of Jesus did not know the whole story nor did they know until they had received "power from on high" on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2). This coming Sunday will be Ascension Sunday when we remember that on that day the church remembers that Jesus arose not only from the dead, but arose from the earth into the realm of Heaven. And no better instruction can be ours than to know the whole story behind that.
PRAYER: Loving God, help me to go deeper today and all days in my love and knowledge of You. Help me to know the whole story of Your great love for me. Help me to have truly open eyes to Your presence and power and an open mind to more deeply understand all things. I ask this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
