“When the seventy-two disciples returned they reported to him, ‘Lord, even the demons obey us when we use your name!’ ‘Yes,’ he told then, ‘I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning! Look I have given you the authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you. But don’t rejoice because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered in heaven.” Luke 10:17-20
Seventy-two disciples were sent out by Jesus. They were each given specific instructions:
who to visit,
what to preach,
where to stay.
when to heal,
how to leave,
and why to go in the first place.
They were hard at work.
Reflect for a moment on a time you needed to apply yourself diligently to something. Remember when you followed directions to the letter, and you returned to your superior, excited to show your completed work? Certain celebration is in order because it was such a success!
That may well be how the disciples felt, returning to Jesus. In verse 17, the disciples say to Jesus, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name!”
How heady a feeling that must have been for the disciples, through the name of Jesus, to control demons!
Jesus’ response was surprising: don’t get excited over what you can do in the My name, get excited over the fact you will spend eternity with God.
How does that look in our day?
Do you ever get excited, anticipating plans?
I do.
Do you ever get excited over an accomplishment?
I do.
I think God gets excited over His plans for us and He rejoices with us in our success.
But more than that stuff, He celebrates us! We are His children.
Period.
If you’re a parent you might be able to relate. The day each of our daughters was born, John and I felt immense love for her. Nothing, not one thing, be accomplishment or failure, can ever alter our love for her. We love her because she’s our daughter. Period. And that love does not fluctuate by what she does or attains, or how far she might fall.
God sees each of His children in the same light!
It doesn’t matter what we accomplishment for Him, His love for us is the same.
It doesn’t matter how miserably we fail, His love is the same.
The only thing that matters is the acceptance of Jesus.
When we’re trying something new, or re-attempting something which previously failed, rest assured, our success or failure can not alter God’s love.
He’s never loved us more.
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You for the reminder that You indeed love me for who I am, Your child. Yes you have plans for me, but Your love is not contingent on how successful I am at those plans. You love me with abandon. Please remind me of that fact. Please help me focus on You, and not the world’s definition of success. Thank You for Your great love, in Jesus’ name, Amen.