The go-to God

Today: Luke 4-5

Have you ever known a go-to guy or a go-to girl?

This is the person EVERYONE trusts to be a real friend who actually comes through on their promises...for example, go-to guys and girls are the people who help you move or put together IKEA furniture. A go-to guy or girl is also someone who is REALLY good getting things done at work, home or a volunteer team. The go-to guy or girl embodies dependability, loyalty and integrity. I love go-to guys and girls (and try to be one as well).

What was interesting to me in today's reading was the fact that Jesus is what I'd label The Go-to God. In these two chapters, I noticed how just much people went to Jesus for many different things--crowds followed just to hear Him, people asked him to cast out demons, heal leprosy, heal a fever, help them fish, heal a paraplegic, and come to parties at their homes. Wow--that's a lot to handle!

But think about it--before Jesus, people had to talk to a priest if they were sick, sinned, struggled with something or if they wanted celebrate God's goodness. When He came to the planet, it opened up a whole new level of going to God directly with anything.

I love that in this passage, people go to Jesus for (what I think are) more minor things--a dinner invitation, fishing or healing a fever. But I also love that they brought major physical and spiritual things to Him as well--leprosy, demons and a guy who was paralyzed. Nothing was too big or too small for Him to handle.

Let me be clear...I DEFINITELY don't think God is like a genie whose ultimate purpose is to serve our commands. He knows what's best for us and has a bigger plan at work that surpasses what our brains can handle. He may not always answer our requests in the way we want...but I believe He always answers and perhaps even more important or interesting than that, He actually listens to every prayer, thought and request we make.

I love in this passage that people saw Jesus as someone they could trust--an accessible God who could get things done for them. I love that He can be like that to us--a go-to God who comes through on promises and can change things in our lives.

Tomorrow: Luke 6-7