Devotions
Rev Gav
Present
Luke 21.34–36
‘Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day does not catch you unexpectedly, like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.’
Reflect
Although Jesus was predicting the destruction of the temple that would take place in AD70, there was an eschatological (a big word for talking about the end times) element to his teaching. Yes, there will come a time when love will finally conquer evil, but the ‘end times’ come to us all within our span of earthly years. As Jesus has enabled everyone, through the infilling of the Holy Spirit, to have direct access to God, each one of us can choose life today. Our collective future is very much rooted in our present.
Another way of looking at it is that we are bringers of God’s divine and holy future into the present. If, in the future, we are all going to live in harmony with God, with each other, and with all creation, then we are to start living that life in the here and now. I think this is what Jesus meant about being, “on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life.” Dissipation (yes, I had to look it up) means to overindulge in sensual pleasures or the squandering of money, energy, or resources.
In other words, if we live a life of exclusive selfishness, medicated numbness, or paralysing anxiety, we are not able to fulfil our mandate to be the bringers of God’s love, joy, and peace to a broken and hurting world.
We all have desires, hopes, wants, needs, and pleasures, and of course, we are to enjoy God, others, and creation, but Jesus is simply reminding us that there is a bigger picture where God’s love is being poured into the world through us, and the importance of staying spiritually healthy to enable this to happen — to put God first in our lives. And because it is no easy thing to do, it is why Jesus exhorted his collective listeners to “stay alert” and “pray for strength”.
Finally, we need each other in this journey. We cannot do this thing called life on our own. We are bunch of people, connected to God and connected to each other through the power and presence of the Holy Spirit — collectively called to be God’s love. Therefore, let us ‘get it together’, stop bickering, gossiping, putting each other down, and putting ourselves first, but open ourselves to God’s love and be radiant with compassion, understanding, kindness, tenderness, and empathy. This is our moment and the world needs us.
Pray
Holy God
When I feel like
going my own way,
numbing myself to the pain,
or when I feel
paralysed with worry,
help me stay alert
and give me strength
to be the person
you created me to be —
someone who brings
your love, joy, and peace
to a broken and hurting world.
This day and forever.
and then