Today’s Bible reading is Genesis 34 and Luke 7.
In Luke 7, Jesus has asked the crowds some questions about John the Baptist. After linking John with a 400-year-old prophecy, Jesus looked at the crowd and said, “I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” (Luke 7:28)
When all the people heard this, and the tax collectors too, they declared God just, having been baptized with the baptism of John, but the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him. (Luke 7:29-30)
While we live nearly 2,000 years after these events documented by Luke, his summary of the Pharisees and the lawyers ought to make us pause and reflect today.
“The purpose of God” – my Creator has a “purpose” for my life. As my Creator, he has every right to define my purpose and express his expectation that I would submit accordingly. As the created, I exist to glorify my Creator.
“All the people … tax collectors … Pharisees and the lawyers” – the religious, irreligious, educated, and uneducated–all are accountable to the Sovereign Lord of the universe.
“Rejected” – our Creator has blessed us with the ability to choose how we will respond to his revealed purpose. This fundamental choice lies before me today: will I humbly acknowledge and obediently respond to the expressed will of my Creator or will I reject the purpose of God for myself?
People created in the image of God have been accepting and rejecting his purpose for millennia. The same fundamental choice lies before me: accept or reject?
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (1 Cor 10:31)
That is the purpose of God for me. That is the purpose of God for you. Accept or reject? That is the choice we will make today. May we choose wisely.