Dave's Diary

Prayer

Briefly prepare your heart in silence, and ask the Holy Spirit to awaken your sense of anticipation that God is about to speak to you through His Word. Then, before you read, I invite you to pray this prayer based on Psalm 51:10

Abba Father, create in me a clean heart; and renew a right spirit within me.
Burn out of me everything that is not pleasing to You. Amen

Reading

Luke 9:51-55

Whereas Jesus’ religious antagonists, the Pharisees, looked with judgment and condemnation on many of those “outcasts” and “sinners” who responded to Jesus and followed Him (e.g. the woman in yesterday’s reading from Luke 7), today’s reading shows Jesus’ own disciples acting with profound judgment and condemnation towards a Samaritan village.

The Samaritans were a population group in ancient Israel which came about as a result of Jews from the Northern Kingdom intermarrying with imported non-Jewish colonists after the Assyrians had conquered Israel. They developed their own translation of the Torah, built their own temple on Mount Gerizim, and celebrated their own version of Passover. The “pure” Jews of Israel despised the Samaritans and usually the feeling was mutual.

In today’s reading, Jesus longed to reach this Samaritan village with the Good News of Gods Kingdom, but they rejected the opportunity. Because Jesus was headed to Jerusalem for the Jewish Passover, the Samaritan village refused to welcome Him.

James and John’s reaction was pure racism. They wanted to call down fire from heaven to destroy the village. But why do I suggest this was racism? Frankly, because these same disciples had, at no point, suggested that any of the Jewish people who rejected Jesus or cast Him out should be destroyed by fire. But let this Samaritan village reject Him and all they wanted was vengeful destruction! Their hearts were poisoned by racial prejudice!

Not surprisingly, Jesus rebuked them, just as he would rebuke any expression of racism today. Jesus loved the Samaritans in that village. He was about to sacrifice His life to save them, just as much as He was going to die to save James and John … just as much as He died to save you … and just as much as He died to save every other human being.

Today’s passage clearly and simply confronts us with the command to reject racism in all its ugly expressions, and to ask Jesus to kindle in us His own heart of love for those who are not like us. Will you be brave enough to pray that?

Contemplation

Please take time to ponder what Jesus has commanded us. Turn this declaration over and over in your mind. Keep it in mind throughout the day and live in step with Your King, Jesus.

As a disciple of Jesus Christ:

• I will reject racism in all its forms.
• I will ask Jesus to kindle in me His own heart of love for those who are not like me.

Holy Spirit, please empower me to reject and repent of racism in all its forms, and please kindle in me Your heart of love for those who are not like me racially or culturally. Amen.