The purposes of God and my response

Luke included a terse observation about the Pharisees and experts of the law in his Gospel, “The Pharisees and experts in the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves.” (7:30) Even if one is refined and well educated, is able to argue the fine points of theologies, and is held in high esteem by ones contemporaries, he still must pursue God’s purposes! John the Baptist was the lightning rod! He became the issue over which many debated. It seems as if most folk had an opinion and the theological-political house was divided. Quibbling has always been a vocation for some of “the cloth.” But, “God’s purpose” must loom larger than curiosity, more dominant than personal preference. A few verses later, in the same chapter, Luke reports that Jesus forgave the sins of a woman who bathed and kissed his feet. The quibblers challenged Jesus’ authority. I think they were the same people who “rejected God’s purposes for themselves.” As the “purposes of God” were worked into the warp and woof of those present at the foot washing event reported by Luke, they had no unresolved questions about Jesus’ authority! Reading the first five chapters of Luke’s other book, The Acts of the Apostles, makes that perfectly clear. I, for one, have spent too much time quibbling. I determine to spend the balance of my time in wonder and awe of Jesus’ authority to forgive, to embrace “God’s purpose” for me.