Devotion • October 2
Today's Scripture
Luke 5:23–39
Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Stand up and walk’? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” — he said to the one who was paralyzed — ”I say to you, stand up and take your bed and go to your home.” Immediately he stood up before them, took what he had been lying on, and went to his home, glorifying God. Amazement seized all of them, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen strange things today.”
After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up, left everything, and followed him. Then Levi gave a great banquet for him in his house; and there was a large crowd of tax collectors and others sitting at the table with them. The Pharisees and their scribes were complaining to his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus answered, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I have come to call not the righteous but sinners to repentance.” Then they said to him, “John’s disciples, like the disciples of the Pharisees, frequently fast and pray, but your disciples eat and drink. Jesus said to them, “You cannot make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them, can you? The days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days.” He also told them a parable: “No one tears a piece from a new garment and sews it on an old garment; otherwise the new will be torn, and the piece from the new will not match the old. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins and will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. And no one after drinking old wine desires new wine, but says, ‘The old is good.’” (NRSV)
Reflection
“You cannot make wedding attendants fast while the bridegroom is with them, can you? The days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days.” When I read that, what I hear is that everything and everyone is temporary. For better or worse, this team I’m working with, this class of students, this version of my family, this particular chapter of life, won’t last forever. Sometimes that’s a comforting thing to remember, and sometimes it’s disappointing. But either way, I’m reminded to ask the question — What am I waiting for?
Sometimes there’s a good answer to that question like “I’m waiting to buy a house until I’m financially stable” or “I’m waiting to go on this camping trip until I’m fully recovered from knee surgery.”
But there are other times when I’ve used waiting for something as a crutch without even realizing it. “I’m waiting to apply for this promotion until I’ve nailed one more project” or “I’m waiting to go on this beach vacation until I lose another ten pounds.” I’ve used it as a way to rationalize not taking a risk, not putting myself out there, not being vulnerable.
The truth is most things worth having require risk. I have to remind myself that there's never going to be a magical time when I have all of my ducks in a row. And if I keep waiting for “just one more thing,” I risk missing out on so many things.
Prayer
Lord, be with me when I ask “What am I waiting for?” and grant me the wisdom to discern between waiting and avoiding. Amen.
Written by Nicole Spirgen, Member of Fourth Presbyterian Church
Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church
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