The Road Devotional | Lent 2024

“When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up his plunder. “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. “When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first.” As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.” He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”

Jesus gives a very interesting story here. Following the mixed reaction of the crowd who saw Jesus cast out a demon and some claiming he was empowered by the devil, Jesus here challenges the crowd to understand the nature of his power. It’s not just good enough to clean out the presence of evil (which Jesus has the power to do), there also needs to be the presence of God.

Q. What is the quality of the stuff you consume on a daily basis? Are you filling your space with negativity? Sarcasm? Hate? Fear? Or are you filling it with the presence of God? Love? Peace? Joy?

Jesus starts by giving an example of someone guarding their possessions. While we can be fully prepared to protect that which we think we own, it only takes someone stronger to come through and take it all away. This is an example of how we try to find security and safety by collecting as much stuff as we can--sometimes at the expense of others.

Q. What possessions are you currently protecting? What would happen if you were to lose those possessions?

God, Help me recognize the strongholds that hinder my relationship with You and empower me to trust in Your strength alone. May my repentance be genuine, and may the Holy Spirit fill my heart, transforming me into a vessel of Your love and grace.

Amen.