Devotions
Rev Gav
Delight
Luke 10.21–24
Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, ‘I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.’
Then turning to the disciples, Jesus said to them privately, ‘Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.’
Reflect
The overall significance of Jesus’ mission’ was indeed hidden from the ‘wise and intelligent’ but not because it was purposely kept secret and concealed. Knowing God’s plan cannot be found through human intelligence or wisdom (academic prowess) but only through relationship — friendship and discipleship — with Christ. At the foundation of any relationship is trust and we read in Proverbs 3.5-6:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.”
Jesus delighted in his relationship with his disciples because God delighted in the relationship too! And how wonderful that spiritual understanding and the revealing of God’s plan does not depend on human ability or status!
Jesus then turned privately to his disciples to tell them, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see!” and in John 20.29, Jesus said to Thomas, “Blessed are the people who have not seen and yet have believed.” Both the disciples and others were blessed because they saw Jesus, and blessed would be those who have not seen Jesus and yet have believed in Christ. We fall into the latter camp and we are blessed because our faith in Christ has led us to intimacy with God.
Today’s Bible reading finishes with Jesus saying that, “many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.” Jesus was alluding to the fact that a new covenant was being established — one that would replace the old covenant, and it is this new covenant that enables us to ‘see’ Jesus through being filled with the Holy Spirit.
Before Jesus, people had a somewhat distant relationship with God, then when Jesus came in person, people could have a direct relationship with God through him, but now, because of Christ, anyone can have a direct relationship with God! This is because through Christ we have been made clean and holy and God can come and make home in us by the Holy Spirit.
Therefore, do not worry that you might not be academically bright, of high intellect, well-read, articulate, have a high powered job, or are of high status, when it comes to knowing God and being known by God, it is all about relationship, and God delights in you!
Photo by Clem Onojeghuo on Unsplash
Pray
Holy God
Thank you that I have
a relationship with you;
that my knowing you
and being known by you
does not depend on my
ability, status, or any other
facet of my personality.
Thank you that you
delight in our relationship
because I delight in it too.
and then