Planting Seeds Day 3: Good News

Jesus’ ministry started officially when He was in the synagogue in Nazareth. He didn’t list things for us to do, but described a vision of what it will look like already done. And who would do it!

Jesus stood up to read the scroll of Isaiah: The Spirit of the LORD is on Me, because He has anointed Me to bring a message of good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim freedom for those who are captive and recovery of sight for the blind and to set free those who are oppressed. I now announce that this is the LORD’s year to act! Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing. Luke 4: 16-21

The good news that Jesus announced was freedom! Freedom from poverty, slavery, health issues, oppressive burdens and battering from others. Even more amazingly, He read these verses from promises in Isaiah and announced that because of His anointing as the Messiah, these promises were now to be carried out. His death on the cross and our acceptance of His debt and forgiveness for our sins puts us at His shoulder and by His side as He proclaims this good news!

You seek to be a disciple of Christ, a learner of His love. He is your mainstay in this life, the One from whom you draw solace and joy and power to act. In these verses He has shared His vision and His mission for all His people, and He invites you to draw on that relationship with Him and also be His partner. He sends you into His harvest to plant seeds because the laborers are few (Luke 10:2).

As we journey forward, pray that God shows you the small and the bigger ways that He wants you to see and share His good news. For now, picture yourself in that synagogue or wherever you most often picture Him. My radioactive picture of Jesus is when He is playing with the children (Mark 10:16), rolling in the dirt with them, respecting their humble hearts and their pure curiosity. Radioactive because there is an especially vivid glow around that picture that instantly gets my attention. I feel like I’m in the same place with Him, on the grass with the kids. His actions show His mission, and I am there beside Him. I am seeing the people He wants to free. I am nodding my head. I am already noticing which children need food and clothing and freedom from abuse and neglect. I see the mothers at the edge of the circle. I am connecting with Jesus’ passion. I am seeing the seeds He wants me to plant.

Jesus proclaims the good news of freedom. He also calls us to stand with Him and use our voices to share His vision in the worlds of influence in which we live.

Which picture of Jesus glows for you with a special brightness?

Write about it in your journal and sear that picture into your memory, so that when you doubt or when you falter you can recall it vividly. Return to that page on a regular basis and write more, refreshing this unique passion of your soul.

What are you and Jesus seeing while you are standing beside His shoulder in your radioactive picture?

Lord of the Harvest, send me. Show me how You love the people You place in my path. Let me see them through Your eyes and value them as You value me. Remind me that Your message is always one of good news. Use my passion. Amen.