2 minute read.
Daily Reading: Deuteronomy 21:1-22:30 ESV, Luke 9:51-10:12 ESV, Psalm 74:1-23 ESV, Proverbs 12:11 ESV
Daily Verse: “And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” (Luke 9:58 ESV)
PHOLEOS (5454): “A burrow or lurking place. A lair, burrow, den, or hole, is used of foxes in Mt. 8:20 and Luke 9:58.” [I]
No place to rest.
Jesus never owned a home. During His ministry on earth, Jesus traveled from place to place with nowhere to lay His head. Most people can’t fathom living a homeless lifestyle, but Jesus lived one, and so did the disciples when they traveled with Him.
Walking along the road, a disciple pledges to Jesus, “I will follow you wherever you go” (Luke 9:57 ESV). Jesus responds with today’s Verse. When others want to bury their dead and say goodbye to their loved ones at home, Jesus says they can’t.
“No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:62 ESV)
Eyes forward.
Following Jesus means looking ahead, not back. We can’t keep beating ourselves up for our past and serve God. Letting go of what lies behind you means grasping what God has for you.
In college, I dated someone from work. After learning about my love interest’s unfaithfulness with a co-worker, sharing the afternoon shift with him became complicated. Watching them together caused my heart pain.
One night, checking in a guest, the stranger gave me two porcelain angels to watch over me. I realized I needed to keep my eyes on Jesus at that moment. Instead of focusing on what lay behind me, I looked forward to what God had for me.
My pain didn’t disintegrate overnight, but when I think of my journey with Christ, I recognize His divine intervention in my life at a pivotal moment. Because the hotel guest had his eyes on Jesus, he helped me change the direction of my gaze.
Refocus your gaze today. Look for Jesus to guide you on the journey. Let go of the past; trust Jesus for your future.
[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 268) Thomas Nelson
