The Prickly Part

The following is a copy of the Thomas Question email devotional. You can subscribe to the email edition from our website and tune into our podcast.

Does the 2 year old you ever really go away? Consider that it takes only 8 verses in Luke chapter 4 for the crowd around Jesus to go from hanging on every word to hanging Him from a cliff. In only 8 verses – starting in verse 22 with “…all were… wondering at the gracious words which were falling from His lips” (NASB) to verse 29 with “…drove Him out of the city… to the brow of the hill… in order to throw Him down…” (NASB)

That’s quite a transformation, don’t you think? And they don’t take long to get there. One would wonder if this was a crowd of adults or 2 year olds. But before we’re too hard on them, let’s be honest with ourselves. All of this shouldn’t make us wonder at how crazy that generation was – maybe it should make us wonder how crazy we all are. This is about human nature, not “them”. And I’m just not sure the 2 year old you ever really goes away.

Let’s be honest about something: we want the God we want, maybe not the God that is. The good news of Christianity is a potential happy ending for all of us. The prickly part has to do with a critical confrontation with your “self” – or more particularly the 2 year old part of your self. Some of what He has to say will have us hanging on every word, and some of what He has to say will have us wanting to dangle Him from a cliff. Those two compulsions may be separated from each other by only a few minutes at a time.

So when’s the last time you felt that latter – the “prickly” part? Because if you can’t remember, then maybe it’s time to ask yourself if you’re really listening…

Just a thought.

This Sunday we’re continuing in our series “A Guide to the Satisfied Life” (you can catch up through our podcast) with a look at some of the “prickly” parts of what we may need to hear. Join us for Starbucks at 9.45 and compelling conversation at 10.

CSW

LAST SUNDAY
Sometimes history can shift with nothing more than the effort it takes to flick a switch - or pull a trigger. We need to come to terms with change. You can listen on our podcast or visit our website.

THIS SUNDAY
One of life's critical confrontations, how to "prune" your "self" and the prickly part of God.

DON'T FORGET
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