What Jesus Did! 'First Priority: Following Jesus' — Luke 9:59-60

Monday, June 24, 2019

[Jesus] said to another person, "Come, follow me." The man agreed, but he said, "Lord, first let me return home and bury my father." But Jesus told him, "Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead! Your duty is to go and preach about the Kingdom of God."
— Luke 9:59-60 NLT

Key Thought

Following Christ is our highest priority. Nothing should stand in our way. Does that mean abandoning our responsibility to our families? Certainly not! God makes clear that how we live in our families is crucial to our discipleship and to our leadership. However, we so often use family concerns as excuses for not following rather than reconciling family matters with Kingdom values and priorities. Jesus must come first. God and his Kingdom must be THE priority in our families. Our families must see honoring God as the primary value lived out in our own personal lives.

Today's Prayer

Give me wisdom, O God, to make you and your Kingdom THE primary value of my home. Help me demonstrate your compassion and your holy character in my interactions with my loved ones. Help me be loyal, faithful, and supportive of them so they will see those characteristics in me and know that my heart's first allegiance is to you. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Related Scripture Readings

  • 1 Timothy 5:8
  • Matthew 10:37
  • Ephesians 6:1-4

Comments

Other Devotionals from Heartlight for Monday, June 24, 2019

Unstoppable!
A one-year devotional guide through the book of Acts.
'The Spirit Fell on Them!' (Acts 11:15-16)
""As I began to speak [to Cornelius, along with his family and friends]," Peter continued, "the Holy Spirit fell on them, just as he fell on us at the..."
God's Holy Fire
A daily devotional about the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
'How Foolish Can You Be?' (Ga. 3:3)
"How foolish can you be? After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort?"
Quotemeal
A daily dose of Christian quotes to inspire and encourage.
Quote by Bernard of Clairvaux:
"Prayer is a wine which makes glad the heart of man."
A Year with Jesus
A devotional to help reclaim Jesus as the daily Lord of our lives.
'Prayer Power!'
"Dear Disciple, Yesterday I shared with you that while the key ruling council tried to intimidate My people, they were undaunted. Here was their..."

Illustration

Illustration of Luke 9:59-60 NLT — "Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead! Your duty is to go and preach about the Kingdom of God."

About This Devotional

What Jesus Did! is a series of one-year devotional guides through each gospel, using one short scripture passage each day and following the Gospel in sequential order. Each devotional consists of a scripture passage and a reflection and a prayer which open up the day's scripture and show how it challenges you to live for Jesus.

What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware and is available in book form.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

More What Jesus Did!