Share This Episode
This broadcaster has 1383 podcast archives available on-demand.
Keep up-to-date with this broadcaster on social media and their website.
November 22, 2020 7:00 pm
He was an aging military veteran, rough-edged and given to even rougher language. One day a friend cared enough about him to inquire about his spiritual beliefs. The man’s dismissive response came quickly: “God doesn’t have space for someone like me.”
Perhaps that was just part of his “tough-guy” act, but his words couldn’t be further from the truth! God creates space especially for the rough, the guilt-ridden, and the excluded to belong and thrive in His community. This was obvious from the beginning of Jesus’s ministry, when He made some surprising choices for His disciples. First, He chose several fishermen from Galilee—the “wrong side of the tracks” from the perspective of those in Jerusalem. He also selected a tax collector, Matthew, whose profession included extorting from his oppressed countrymen. Then, for good measure, Jesus invited the “other” Simon—“the Zealot” (Mark 3:18).
We don’t know much about this Simon (he isn’t Simon Peter), but we do know about the Zealots. They hated traitors like Matthew, who got rich by collaborating with the despised Romans. Yet with divine irony, Jesus chose Simon along with Matthew, brought them together, and blended them into His team.
Don’t write anyone off as too “bad” for Jesus. After all, He said, “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:32). He has plenty of space for the tough cases—people like you and me.
Welcome to today's devotional from Our Daily Bread is entitled space for me that it was written by Tim Gustus. He was an aging military veteran rough edged and given to even rougher language. One day a friend cared enough about him to inquire about his spiritual beliefs.
The band's dismissive response came quickly. God doesn't have space for someone like me. Perhaps this was just part of his tough guy act, but his words couldn't be further from the truth. God create space especially for the rough, the guilt ridden and the excluded, to belong and thrive in his community. This was obvious from the beginning of Jesus's ministry when he made some surprising choices for his disciples first. He chose several fishermen from Galilee the wrong side of the tracks from the perspective of those in Jerusalem. He also selected a tax collector, Matthew, whose profession included extorting from his oppressed countrymen. Then, for good measure. Jesus invited the other Simon the zealot.
We don't know much about this Simon but we do know about the zealots they hated traders like Matthew who got rich by collaborating with the despised Romans yet with divine irony.
Jesus chose Simon along with Matthew brought them together and blended them into his team don't ride anyone off as too bad for Jesus.
After all, he said in Luke chapter 5 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. He has plenty of space for the tough cases. People like you and me, today's Our Daily Bread devotional Scripture reading is from Mark chapter 3 verses 13 through 19 Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted and they came to him. He appointed 12, that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and have authority to drive out demons. These are the 12. He appointed Simon to whom he gave the name Peter James son of Zebedee and his brother John, to them he gave the name Bowen energies, which means Sons of thunder, Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas James son of Alpheus Thaddeus Simon the zealot and Judas Iscariot betrayed him.
Zealots pray.
Dear Jesus, thank you for your love that is based solely on who you are, rather than what we've done. Thank you for the free gift of salvation and for welcoming anyone who calls on you Lord.
We pray for those who don't yet know you and pray that you would shine your love through us today.
May they see you and us and be fully convinced that you love them to.
Thank you Jesus it's in your gracious name that we pray. Amen on today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread ministries
