According to His Custom

ORDINARY TIME  

  Luke 1:1-4, 4:14-21    (part I)

Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit,
and news of him spread throughout the whole region.
He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all.

He came to Nazareth, where he had grown up,
and went according to his custom
into the synagogue on the sabbath day.

I'm going to stop in the middle of this passage because when I read this Gospel, that last sentence jumped out at me!  Wow.  He went to the synagogue on the sabbath day as was his custom.  How awesome!

Jesus didn't go just do be seen.  He didn't attend synagogue so that he could make speeches and win hearts.  He wasn't forced, or talked into it, or made to go.

He went because it was his custom. He was used to going, it was part of his routine.

How many children nowadays are not being raised in a church?  How many are not being taught to attend services on  Sunday as a mater-of-fact?  How many people do not make a weekly visit to God's House a priority?

The people of Israel observe a wide-variety of customs and I loved seeing all of the various observances.  Religious Non-Christians in the United States (which in my area of South Carolina are few and far-between) are extremely outnumbered and criticized and looked upon suspiciously, yet they stand for their beliefs and continue to observe their customs.

How brave!  What a witness to their convictions and their faith!!

Dear Lord, let me always be brave and convicted in my life's dedication to You!

Luke 1:1-4, 4:14-21    (part II)

He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah.
He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring glad tidings to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.

Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down,
and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him.
He said to them,

“Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.

Dear Lord, let me always-always be accustomed to spending time with you in your house.  Let me look forward to our visits with the same longing as a visit to a beloved friend or family member.  Please let me be a good daughter  in my obedience to your loving wishes.  Please let me be a good example to my family and friends. 



2012 Pilgrimage to Israel - Day Five