Stop Worrying And Start Loving Jesus More
LENT DEVOTIONAL 2026 | DAY 24
Luke 12:35–59 (NIV)
By Andrew Lim, Chairperson, Prayer & Praise
READ:
Luke 12:35–59 (NIV)
Reading this passage, I am unsettled. My reaction is one of distress and I get the sinking feeling that a trapdoor is about to open and swallow me up.
Am I the one who falls asleep while waiting for my master to arrive? Am I the servant who knows his master’s instruction but does not do it and instead squanders all that is entrusted to him? Do I worry more about worldly signs and ignore God’s workings all around me? I conclude that I am probably guilty of all the above and more. The thought of turning against family and rejecting the familiar because of God puts my stomach in a knot. I question whether I have done enough for Christ, whether I love God enough to put Him first above all else.
Lent is supposed to be an unsettling time, a time to look into our heart of darkness and reflect on our brokenness, and this passage scores full marks in making me feel really bad about myself. I stop short of feeling utter despair where no amount of burnt offerings, rituals or prayers can truly cleanse me and make me worthy. In my human frailty I am filled with dread, thinking not only about what I need to “fix” in my life but also all the good that I have failed to do.
Yet amidst the darkness and the futility of my own efforts, I recall Jesus also saying “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest…For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” And so I come to Jesus earnestly seeking to spend time with Him daily. “Stop worrying,” I tell myself, “and start loving Jesus more.” Obedience flows from love and rest and not the foreboding pressure I feel from reading this passage—of course, a little bit of guilt is always a good nudge.
Recently I have been trying to worship God and lifting up the name of Jesus in my daily prayers, spending time in silent adoration at His feet. It isn’t easy as I push back the desire to start on my laundry list of requests and worries and get prayer over and done with. I remind myself that we are made to worship God, and in worshipping Him we fulfill His purpose for us on a very fundamental level. On good days, I find a wellspring of strength and joy that makes serving and obeying Him not just another “good” thing to do but something I look forward to with hope and anticipation. On not so good days, I hope, in His mercy, He knows I’m trying
[ Reflection Questions ]
- Does this passage unsettle you? In what ways?
- When was the last time you spent worshipping and adoring God outside of a church service on your own? How did that feel?
- How may you be more watchful for the return of Jesus?
