Luke 10:16-20 (NRSV)
Read Luke 10:16-20 on biblegateway.com
Verse 16"Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me, and whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me."
Verse 17The seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!" Verse 18He said to them, "I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning. Verse 19See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing will hurt you. Verse 20Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."
Devotion
Clearly, there will be those who listen to the Gospel and those who reject it. We are not to take personally what happens. Christ’s victory over Satan goes with us. People are responding to God, not to us. Even when we see wonderful things happen in people’s lives, we are to stay centered on what God has done for us. Even when we notice our prayers are answered and people are healed or come to faith, our real joy should be the fact that our own names are written in the book of life. If we become overly thrilled with outcomes, we will also become overly discouraged with the barren times. Jesus would not have our lives be about ups and downs. Paul learned this truth, for his motto was, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice” (Philippians 4:4).
Prayer
God, our Father, level us out. Then put our hearts on tiptoes with the joy of knowing that, despite any circumstances, all is well, for we are securely your children in Christ. Amen.