A Good Measure

Meditations in the Season of Epiphany

February 8, 2022

A Good Measure 

“. . . give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.”

Luke 6:38

Read: Luke 6:27-38

Jesus follows his charge with instructions for living as the children of God. The instructions are not complex; rather, they are quite simple, direct, and easy to comprehend and remember. Love your enemies! Pray for those who hurt you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. Do to others as you would like them to do to you. Love your enemies! (Mentioned twice – must be important!) You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate. Do not judge others. Do not condemn others. Forgive others.

Even so, there was then, as there is now, a scarcity of disciples of Jesus who take seriously these instructions. G. K. Chesterton noted, "The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and left untried." However, the enormity of God’s love for us is matched by His patience. God has very, very high expectations for his children, and he will not rest until his children are transformed to be like Jesus.

Jesus ends this teaching with a promise. (v. 38 above) This is the time of the year when I gather my financial records in preparation for my tax returns. I’m so very thankful for the quality of our lifestyle and all that we have been able to do in retirement. I also noticed that our charitable giving increased by more than 10% last year. And I am also very keenly aware we are living God’s promise: “give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.”

My Takeaway: Every Sunday, as the followers of Jesus gather in their sanctuaries for worship, the Holy Spirit moves through the pews and can be heard asking, ““Who will be a follower of Jesus? Who among you will live for Christ in this world?”

Who among us will respond, “Here I am; I will be his disciple.”

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2022 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.