I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Luke 8.

    We often think of Jesus as traveling with just the Twelve (and perhaps a few more men based on the qualifications Peter lists for choosing a replacement for Judas). However, this passage tells us that in addition to the Twelve there was a group of women who traveled with Jesus throughout His ministry. Luke reports that these were women whom Jesus had cured of disease or evil spirits. The way Luke describes them, these women received much the same teaching which the Twelve Apostles received.

    Often times when I read the parable of the sower, I fear that I fall into the category of the seeds that fell in among the thorns. I know that I easily get preoccupied with the concerns of this world, paying my bills, satisfying my wants. However, today I was struck by the contrast between the seed which fell on the rocky soil and the seed which fell on the good soil. I am not sure why I pictured it this way, but I pictured the seed on the rocky soil quickly sprouting and growing a large, impressive flower, only to wilt before the flower turned to seed. While I pictured the seed on the good soil growing slowly, producing lots of small, inconspicuous flowers, but producing a few seeds, then flowering again and producing more. That is not the image which Jesus’ listeners would have had, but I think it is true to the intentions of the parable. Those whose faith is showy and splashy do not necessarily produce any results, while those whose faith is consistent and steady will change the world around them in ways that it may take years to observe. I fear that I am one of those whose faith is choked out by the cares of this world, but I pray that I am one of the “good-hearted” people who cling to God’s word to patiently produce results.