Daily Devotion, October 22, 2020

 

Devotion: Read Luke 16:10-31.

This parable is very solemn. The title of this parable is The Rich Man and Lazarus. It is about a rich, self-indulgent man, and a poor man who was in need. First, we meet the rich man. Here is a guy who dresses in purple, the color or royalty, and fine linen every day. He showed the world how successful he was because if you have it why not flaunt it, right? In addition, this man had a feast every single day. Then there is the poor man, Lazarus, lying at the rich man’s gate. Covered with sores, he is longing to receive just a scrap from the rich man’s table. The rich man neglected to respond to Lazarus’s begging for relief. There is such irony in this story, as Jesus probes our hearts a little deeper by giving the poor man a name, the only character in any of Jesus’ parables to have a name. The name Lazarus literally means “God Has Helped”.

Both men die. The rich man wakes up in Hades where he was constantly tormented. A big flip-flop has occurred; the rich man enjoyed the good things in life but received nothing in the afterlife. Lazarus, on the other hand, had nothing in his earthly life, but is received into heaven alongside of Abraham. When the rich man looked up, he saw Abraham with Lazarus by his side.  The rich man ignores Lazarus and tries to do a business deal with Abraham. In essence the rich man is saying to Abraham, this is not the lifestyle to which he was accustomed. Have mercy on me. The reality of this parable is that if we separate ourselves from God in this life, we will be separated in our eternal life. Personal Worship Option: God help guide us to see and assist those that are hurting and to do it with your love, showing compassion and gratitude. God we know that you will guide us if we allow you to.