Luke 12:54-13:9

Luke 12:54-13:9 (New International Version)
Interpreting the Times 54He said to the crowd: "When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, ‘It‘s going to rain,’ and it does. 55And when the south wind blows, you say, ‘It‘s going to be hot,’ and it is. 56Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don‘t know how to interpret this present time? 57"Why don‘t you judge for yourselves what is right? 58 As you are going with your adversary to the magistrate, try hard to be reconciled to him on the way, or he may drag you off to the judge, and the judge turn you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. 59I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny."
Luke 13
Repent or Perish
1Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2Jesus answered, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? 3I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. 4Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? 5I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish." 6Then he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. 7So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I‘ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven‘t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’ 8" ‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I‘ll dig around it and fertilize it. 9If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’ "DEVOTIONAL:
The parable of the fig tree at the end of this passage is one that always seems harsh to me, but then I realize it is actually filled with hope. So often I am like the fig tree. I allow my selfishness and busyness to get in the way of the fruit God wants to produce in me. Sometimes I ignore areas of sin in my life instead of asking God to show me how to change. When I do that, I get in the way of the fruit God wants to produce in me. But just like the vineyard caretaker in the parable, Jesus doesn‘t give up on me. He wants me to dig deep and fertilize my life with God‘s word and love. Then I can be fruitful and do great things for God.
PRAYER:
Father, help me not to become consumed with things that distract me from you. Help me to dig into your word and to fertilize my soul with your love so that I can produce fruit for you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.