Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

THURSDAY JANUARY 14


SAYING GOODBYE

READ:
Luke 9:62
__________________________________________________________
No one who puts a
hand to the plow
and looks back is
fit for service in the
kingdom of God.
____________________________________________________________

Saying goodbye is hard__to family and friends, to a favorite and familiar place, to an occupation or livelihood.

In luke 9:57-62 our Lord describes the cost of being His disciple. A would-be follower says to Jesus, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family." Jesus responds, "No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God" (vv.61-62). Is He asking His followers to say goodbye to everything and every relationship considered precious?

In the Chinese language there is no direct equivalent of the English word goodbye. The two Chinese characters used to translate this word really mean "see you again." Becoming a disciple of Christ may sometimes mean others will reject us, but it dos not mean we say goodbye to people in the sense that we are to forget all our past relationships. Saying goodbye means that God wants us to follow Him on His terms__wholeheartedly. Then we will see people again from the right perspective.

God wants the best for us, but we must allow Him to take priority over everything else. C. P Hia

*Dear Lord, I want to follow You wholeheartedly.
Help me not to place anything or anyone before You.
_____________________________________________________________________________
When we follow Jesus we get a new perspective.

***************************Today's Bible Reading __ Luke 9:57-62****************************
57
As they were walking along the road, a man said to
him, "I will follow you wherever you go."

58 Jesus replied, "Foxes have dens and birds have nests,
but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."

59 He said to another man "Follow me.
But he replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father."

60 Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but
you go and proclaim the kingdom of God."

61 Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me
go back and say goodbye to my family."

62 Jesus replied, "No one who puts a hand to the plow and
looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Luke's account of Christ's earthly life and
ministry has several key features that distinguish it from the
other three gospel records (Matthew, Mark, John). First, it
contains the longest and most detailed narrative of Jesus's
birth__including the announcement of Mary's pregnancy (LUKE
1-2). Second, Luke's account has a significant focus on Jesus's
interactions with women (SEE LUKE 8:1-3). Third, Luke places more
emphasis on Jesus's parables than the other gospels__it contains
eighteen unique parables, including the Good Samaritan (10:25-37)
and the Prodigal Son (15:11-32). If, as many scholars believe, Luke's
record was primarily written to a Greek audience, their focus on
learning would certainly account for that emphasis. Finally, since
Luke was a physician, we find interesting medical details that the
other gospels don't include (SEE 9:29; 10:34; 22-44).