Bible Readings and Devotion for October 6, 2020
Here are the references for the readings. Please look these up in your print Bible, your smartphone app Bible, or your online Bible:
Devotion for October 6, 2020
By Pastor David Tinker
In 2016 I went to Disneyland in California with my family. While there I met a number of staff members, who are called “Cast Members” at Disney Parks. Every single one of them was great. I only remember the name of one. It was Karla, from Yorba Linda, California. She worked at the Hungry Bear Restaurant. Karla, like her many colleagues, kept her core focus on serving the guests. They seemed genuinely glad that we were there, and they cared about our well-being. In a brief moment while waiting for our food at the Hungry Bear Restaurant, Karla was asking guests where they were from. I noted that we were from Texas, and that we had just experienced some significant flooding. (Some of you locals will remember the bad rain and flooding at the end of May 2016. That was when the rising water flooded the park and city hall in Carmine.) When speaking with Karla I shared a couple sentences about the damage and such. She expressed her genuine concern for the people of my community. Then my food was ready and we went on our way.
I heard that Walt Disney said something like this: “We believed in our idea – a family park where parents and children could have fun – together.” That one focus continues for Disneyland, and for great Cast Members such as Karla from Yorba Linda. At Disneyland, they have that one goal or uncomplicated focus which gives their work meaning and purpose. When we are connected with God through Jesus Christ, we are invited to have one goal, an uncomplicated focus on Jesus Christ.
In our reading today from Luke we have a discussion of that one goal which God gives us. In response to God’s love and mercy, we are called to have as the central focus in our lives to be Jesus Christ. Our knowledge of and our relationship with Jesus gets to be paramount to all things. Because of the absolutely amazing goodness of the Lord we get to re-frame life around the person and work of Jesus Christ our Lord.
In our reading Jesus has arrived at a certain village. In this village is the home of two women – sisters, Mary and Martha. Jesus receives their hospitality and visits their home. While there, Martha works at many tasks, while Mary sits at the feet of Jesus and listens to his teachings. After Martha complains about Mary not helping with the chores, Jesus makes a certain point about what is going on at the house. He says that Martha is distracted by many things, but that “there is need of only one thing.” Mary, who sits at his feet has chosen this one better thing. That better thing is getting to know Jesus and to be listening to him.
The idea of choosing Jesus as that one thing is intriguing and good. Still, the major concern for the world and for the church today is this: Do we know Jesus? Have Christians and seekers of Christ in the world today been truly striving to know Jesus? At times it seems as though we have not been doing that. Our call today is truly to follow the example of Mary of Bethany. Our call today is to sit at the feet of Jesus so that we might listen to him.
God has provided everything we need to know Jesus and to live a life centered in him. The love of God comforts us and motivates us. God’s Holy Spirit gives us knowledge and understanding of Jesus. The Spirit helps us to understand the next gift, which is God’s Holy Word. We learn much about Jesus from the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. We look to other parts of the Bible to know Jesus better and to understand more about what he has done. This is another reason to make it a regular practice to read the Bible.
Prayer
Blessed Lord God, you have caused the holy scriptures to be written for the nourishment of your people. Grant that we may hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that, comforted by your promises, we may embrace and forever hold fast to the hope of eternal life, which you have given us in Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen
Prayer from Evangelical Lutheran Worship. Copyright © 2020 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved.
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