Luke 21:5-19 (NRSV)
Read Luke 21:5-19 on biblegateway.com
Verse 5When some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God, he said, Verse 6"As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down." Verse 7They asked him, "Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?" Verse 8And he said, "Beware that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name and say, 'I am he!' and, 'The time is near!' Do not go after them. Verse 9"When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately." Verse 10Then he said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; Verse 11there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues; and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven. Verse 12"But before all this occurs, they will arrest you and persecute you; they will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of my name. Verse 13This will give you an opportunity to testify. Verse 14So make up your minds not to prepare your defense in advance; Verse 15for I will give you words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict. Verse 16You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, by relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. Verse 17You will be hated by all because of my name. Verse 18But not a hair of your head will perish. Verse 19By your endurance you will gain your souls.
Devotion
The Ewés have a saying: me kpor tsi dodo ko na zor me tor fu na gbe o, which means, “You do not throw away the water in your pot when you see rain clouds.” In other words, first impressions can be deceptive. We look out for signs of destructive forces, for to be caught unaware can be fatal.
In today’s narrative, our Lord Jesus Christ cautions his disciples not to dwell on end time signs. Though such events as wars and earthquakes, persecutions and imprisonment, abandonment and, ultimately, death will come, it is important to stand firm and hold on to faith. Christ’s promise that he will not abandon his disciples holds true for us. “But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your souls,” he says.
We therefore ought to stand firm, serve faithfully and focus on our calling in Christ Jesus, not on the things of this earth.
We pray with the words of John Newton (1725-1807):
Prayer
Begone unbelief my Savior is near,
And for my relief will surely appear;
By prayer let me wrestle, and he will perform;
With Christ in the vessel I will smile at the storm.
Amen.