Luke 6:39–42

In this scripture, Jesus reminds us that a disciple is not above his teacher. A disciple is a follower, one who imitates his teacher. If I say that I follow Jesus, then I must imitate Him.

But how do I do that?

One thing that stands out to me in this passage is Jesus’ warning not to focus on the speck in my brother’s eye while there is a log in my own. Only when the log is removed can I see the other person clearly.

At the beginning of this week, I experienced something difficult with my friends. One friend was very upset because of something I did. Regardless of my intentions, my actions caused confusion and hurt among the group. I felt angry and upset by the way they spoke to me, but eventually I was able to accept my fault and apologize to them.

I don’t know how they feel about me now, but I do know this: accepting my fault brought peace to my heart.

Sometimes the harsh words they spoke still come back to my mind. When that happens, I try to rebuke those thoughts because I desire peace with others.

I clearly see the battle between the flesh and the Spirit. The Spirit is willing to be humble, but the flesh produces prideful thoughts and behaviors. If I truly want to follow Jesus, I must allow the Spirit to take control of my life.

This is not easy, but with God, all things are possible.

 This morning I woke up as usual at 5:30 a.m. Since I have a day off, there was no rush to get ready for work.

I made kiribath, a traditional meal—brown rice cooked with coconut milk and salt to taste. It can be eaten with fish or meat curry, katta sambol, or seeni sambol.

After that, I read Galatians 4. There is so much to learn from that chapter. Then I turned to my daily reading, which today was Luke 6:1–5.

In this passage, the disciples of Jesus were eating grain on the Sabbath. The Pharisees saw this and condemned them. But Jesus explained it using the story of King David and said, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

I reflected on this. We who know God—who have experienced His love and mercy—are often quick to judge those who fall outside social norms and worldly laws. By doing so, we reject what Jesus came to do. He brought forgiveness into our lives. He showed mercy to us. He accepted us as His children. Who, then, are we to look down on others we think are in the wrong?

We must learn to be simple. Ego and pride have no place in the Kingdom of God, yet we still try to carry those stinking things in our lives.

After experiencing much hardship, I now see clearly how proud I once was. Even though my present situation is difficult, I thank God for delivering me from those sinful ways. Not that I am completely free—Jesus has freed me, yet as Galatians 4 reminds me, I must get rid of the “slave woman” mentality within me. Total surrender to God is the only way.

Heavenly Father, I kneel before You this morning. First, I thank You for delivering me. Second, I thank You for helping me recognize how sinful I can be without You.

 

Journal Reflection on Luke 5:17–26

Today I read Luke 5:17–26 and spent time pondering the passage while also reflecting on my own experiences.

Earlier, I had planned to go out and get some things done, but there was no water because of problems with the pipelines. Without water—to shower or even use the bathroom—I couldn’t go anywhere. I thought about asking someone for help, yet I felt a deep sense of loneliness. Sometimes you are surrounded by people you associate with, and still, you feel alone.

As I reflected on this, the story in Luke touched my heart deeply—the paralyzed man and his friends.

I don’t know whose faith it was that Jesus saw—the paralyzed man’s or his friends’. Maybe it was both. But what stood out to me most was that the paralyzed man could do nothing for himself. His friends could. They carried him to Jesus.

When they couldn’t reach Jesus because of the crowd, they didn’t give up. They climbed onto the roof, removed the tiles, and lowered the man down on his bed. Their determination and love amazed me. They were willing to do whatever it took to bring their friend to Jesus.

This passage pricks my heart in many ways.

I long for a simple life like this:

• Faith in Jesus

• Loving compassion for friends and neighbors

• A heart open enough to invite someone in need

• A willingness to share what I have, even with someone who cannot repay me

I know I cannot live this way on my own. Only through Jesus can I become this kind of person.

Lord, please help me.

 

Amos 5:6 — “Seek the Lord and live.”

This morning, with many burdens weighing on my heart, I prayed—asking for God’s mercy upon me and my family.

I had plans for the day: to do groceries, to cook, and then to join the ladies for our painting time together. But those plans were suddenly interrupted. A knock at the door brought unexpected news—due to a maintenance issue in the building, we were not to use the washrooms until further notice.

In that moment, all my plans felt like they went down the drain.

Then I remembered what I had read earlier that morning:

“Seek the Lord and live.”

God is merciful.

He is loving.

He is caring.

He disciplines us when it is needed.

He provides.

So I need to seek Him—

seek Him in my situations, whether spiritual, physical, relational, financial, material, or anything else.

He will come through.

Lord, I come before You with a humble heart. You see the burdens I carry and the plans that did not go as I expected. Help me not to lean on my own understanding, but to truly seek You in every situation.

Teach me to trust You when my routines are interrupted and when things feel out of my control. Remind me that You are merciful, loving, and faithful—that You provide in ways I may not immediately see.

Today and always, help me to seek You first—in my spiritual life, my physical needs, my relationships, my finances, and every concern I bring before You. I place my family and myself in Your hands, believing Your promises and resting in Your peace.

I seek You, Lord, and I choose to live.

 It is snowing everywhere around me today. It’s not safe to drive, yet it is wonderful to look outside and admire the beauty. We were asked to work from home, and the stillness feels like a gift.

Early this morning, I turned to Scripture—Luke 5:12–16. I was struck again by the compassion Jesus showed. Society had condemned the leper. He was labeled unclean, avoided, rejected. I understand the fear—leprosy was contagious—but Jesus did not turn away. He accepted the leper and healed him.

Jesus had the power of the Holy Spirit to heal the sick. And Your Word says that as Your children, You have given us power too. So what are we lacking? I believe we are lacking compassion.

The second thing I noticed is that although crowds kept coming to Jesus, He intentionally withdrew from them to pray. When people seek us out, when we are busy, visible, or looked up to, that is when we most need to step away—to seek Your face in prayer.

Heavenly Father, help me take this to heart today. Teach me to be compassionate. Help me make time to be with You.

 

Journal Entry – Wednesday, January 13 | 4:30 AM

I woke up before my alarm this morning, at 4:30 AM, and spent time reading Luke 5:1–11. As I read, the passage came alive in my heart.

The fishermen in this story were professionals. They knew their work well. Fishing was not new to them, and they didn’t need instructions from anyone—especially not from someone who wasn’t a fisherman. On top of that, they had already completed their work for the day. It was time for them to rest.

Yet when Jesus asked them to put out their nets again, they obeyed.

What stood out to me was their attitude. They weren’t offended. They didn’t question His knowledge or resist His request. Instead, they were humble enough to take instruction from Jesus, even though He didn’t belong to their profession. That simple obedience, combined with humility, led them to experience an overwhelming blessing.

Another powerful truth stood out to me: they didn’t cling to the material blessing. When they saw the miracle, they didn’t celebrate the fish—they recognized God. Peter became aware of his own sinfulness and his deep need for Jesus. And it didn’t stop there. They left everything behind to follow Him.

This morning, this message felt deeply personal.

Yes, Jesus can bless us materially—but what do I do with those blessings? Do I hold onto them for myself, or am I willing to lay them at His feet and follow Him?

I desire the heart that Simon Peter had:

• A heart that is obedient

• A heart that is humble

• A heart that recognizes its need for Jesus

• A heart that does not focus on blessings, but on the One who blesses

Lord, help me to lay everything at Your feet and follow You.

 Today I sat down to relax and reflect on how my day unfolded.

I woke up early and started work at 6:00 AM because I was planning to attend a memorial service at 2:00 PM. I was able to get a lot of work done by then, but due to unforeseen circumstances, I wasn’t able to make it to the service. That was disappointing, and I felt the weight of missing something important.

After work, I met with a dear friend who is going through significant financial difficulties. We spent time talking about how God takes care of us even in the hardest circumstances. During our conversation, something about a mutual friend came up. This friend I was with is not a gossiper—she rarely speaks negatively about anyone. That’s why it surprised me when she shared that our mutual friend had spoken badly about me.

The moment the words left her mouth, she regretted it deeply. She felt sorrowful that she had grieved the heart of God. While I understood her regret, I still felt sad hearing that someone I consider a friend—someone who I believe walks with God—has spoken poorly of me. This isn’t the first time I’ve heard this from others, but it still hurts.

I came home, cooked, showered, and finally sat down to be still. I read Luke 4:31–37, and verse 33 stood out to me:

“And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice.”

What struck me was that this man was among the worshipers of God, yet he carried an unclean spirit. Jesus saw it immediately, and the unclean spirit became uncomfortable in His presence. Jesus cast it out.

This felt like a lesson for all of us. Even among those who walk with God, unclean things can still dwell in our hearts. Just as my friend—who follows Jesus—can speak in a way that wounds others, I too must recognize that unclean motives or attitudes may exist within me. Only by coming closer to Jesus can we be delivered. The Holy Spirit cannot dwell alongside unclean spirits.

Tonight, I want to pray for a heart that forgives. The Lord’s Prayer says, “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” I want to truly forgive my friend.

I also want to ask God to search my heart and reveal any wrong motives within me. The prayer also says, “Deliver us from evil,” and I desire that deliverance—fully and sincerely.

Lord,
Thank You for walking with me through this day.
You see my disappointment, my sadness, and my confusion.
I bring before You the hurt I feel and ask You to help me forgive—not just with my words, but with my heart.

Search me, O God, and know my heart.
Reveal any unclean motives, hidden pride, resentment, or judgment within me.
I don’t want anything in me that grieves Your Spirit.

As You taught us to pray, forgive me as I forgive others.
Deliver me from evil, from bitterness, and from anything that separates me from You.
Make my heart clean and fully surrendered to You.

 Loving Kindness and the Mercies of God

This evening, I sat quietly, thinking about many things happening around me.
Everywhere I turn, I see the mercies of God. Yet, through my natural eyes, I also see the heaviness in the lives of many whom I love. That heaviness weighs on my heart and often makes me want to cry.

But when I turn to Scripture, I am reminded of how God reaches out to His people.

In Luke 4:14–30, we see examples of God’s mercy and divine intervention. We are reminded of Naaman the Syrian—how healing came to him only after humility. God first humbled Naaman, and then restoration followed.

We also see the widowed woman of Zarephath during the famine. God reached out to her in her time of lack. First, He called her to trust Him and to act in generosity by faith. Then, God blessed her provision.

These accounts reveal important lessons for us today:

• Pride hinders healing.

• Generosity, when rooted in faith, releases blessing.

Lord, help me to walk in humility, trust You fully, and live with a generous heart.