Devotion Corner

Luke 17:11 And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.

We Christians today do not suffer from a lack of faith-based books, sermons, commentaries conferences and the like, to aid us in our understanding of the Lord’s Word. Yet, the Early Church understood the nature of discipleship and devotion to Christ far better than we do today, even with all our array of learning aids. 

The Early Church understood the nature of what it meant to follow their Master. A disciple would literally follow the daily travels of their master; watching, studying, emulating their masters’ habits, manners, studies, interactions, to glean every ounce of wisdom offered. And so, as Jesus travelled through the undesirable and deprived areas that were Samaria and Galilee, His disciples would’ve seen firsthand Jesus’ desire to reach those who others would eagerly shun and avoid. They would’ve seen His earnest compassion to bring hope, life and love, to those the world had deemed unsuitable for such grace, such mercy, such blessed provision.

We today, however, often do not share the disciples desire to truly follow the steps of our Master. We are keen to get to Jerusalem, that blessed city of peace that will know the fullness of its beautiful name when Christ reigns from the throne of David. Yet we are not willing to travel through the very heart of those places, those peoples who we declare are unworthy of help and service. We want the glory of the New Jerusalem, but we are unwilling to journey through the undesirable lands of life that are home to the lowly, the destitute, the lonely, the heartbroken, the forgotten, the sick and the poor. 

If we are to claim to be followers of Jesus, then we must return to the correct understanding held by the Early Church, of what it means to be a disciple of Christ. We must be willing to travel through ‘the midst’ of lands such as Samaria and Galilee, to reach those that are deemed unworthy of help with the greatest aid in all existence. That being the good news of the Gospel.

Let’s not forget, that we were once residents of such undesirable lands. Spiritual lands where we dwelt each day in sin, cut adrift from the glory of God. Yet Christ came into the midst of our lives in that land of spiritual destitution, and took us up by His nail pierced hand, to lead us to glory in the Jerusalem yet to come. So, let’s seek to truly follow our Master, and thus glorify His mighty name with the humble service of our mortal days. Amen.