Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Who do you know?

Note: was a vacation weekend to take son to college. Just got back late last night. Finally getting back to devotions (didn't have internet at our hotel for some reason but weren't there much anyhow).

Scripture Passage that Caught my attention today: Luke 8:1-3 Soon afterwards he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. The twelve were with him, 2 as well as some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, 3 and Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their resources.

Observation: Joanna was the spouse of Herod’s steward. I had not noticed this before.

Application:
Almost any movement includes some sort of connection to someone in high power. The powers that be may or may not be supportive of the movement, but they still play a role. There were some people of high estate in Martin Luther’s day some 500 years ago that were instrumental in making it possible for him to both live and contribute toward the movement of which he was an integral part.

I wonder what it was like for Joanna when the situation heated up in regard to Jesus. Chuza almost certainly knew some of the stirrings in the palace related to Jesus. Sometime later we will read, in chapter 13, that the Pharisees (also surprising supporters in this case) warned Jesus that Herod wanted to kill him. Surely Chuza knew such things as well, as did, we might assume, Joanna. Much has been written about Judas betraying Jesus, but what of Joanna betraying Herod? Life is quite the tangled web, is it not?

Prayer:
Lord, it’s always interesting to see how our various connections pan out over time. We give you thanks for them. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

(Readings today included: Ezra 2-3 and Luke 8)

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