Big Rocks for Strong Christ-Followers
Today’s Big Rock: Communication – Part II

Scripture Foundation: Matthew 23:23

“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.”

In yesterday’s devotion we looked at Luke 18:1:

One day Jesus told His disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.

We know the story that Jesus told as the “Parable of the Persistent Widow”.

The widow needed help getting justice because of a dispute with a neighbor. The Judge, in Jesus’s story, did not care about God or people. The Judge would not do anything to help this poor widow. However, she would not give up in coming to him and begging for justice. After a while, the judge finally got tired of her and gave her what she wanted. (Luke 18:2-5).

Now, Jesus gives us the lessons to learn from this story:

Then the Lord said, “Learn a lesson from this unjust judge.

Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to His chosen people who cry out to Him day and night? Will He keep putting them off?

I tell you, He will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man returns, how many will He find on the earth who have faith?” (Luke 18:6-8).

In yesterday’s devotion, we learned two lessons that Jesus wants us to remember: “always pray” and “never give up”.

The third lesson comes as a warning: “how many will He find on the earth who have faith?”

I am sure we all hope that we Jesus finds us to have faith when He comes again to this earth. However, hoping and wishing does not make us people of faith.

Think about this: How much communicating do you want to do with someone you do not believe in? How much communicating do you want to do with a person you have little or no faith that they are listening or care about what you have to say?

Good communication with anyone requires that you trust in that person.

Good communication with our Father in Heaven demands faith in Him and in His character!

I believe that one reason Jesus came to this earth in the first place was to help us to have more faith in God. God wants us to see the “exact representation of Him” in the flesh (Hebrews 1:3).

The New Testament gives us a view of what God loves, what He hates, and how He loves to give good gifts to His children.

(continued)

Father, when we talk, help me to remember how loving and generous you are! In Jesus’s name, amen.