Devotional: Accepting Our Limitations

Matthew 13:53-58

“And he did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief” (Matt. 13:58, NASB).

My sister sends me an email. She is concerned about a first cousin. She has left messages, but she has not received a reply. My sister is concerned about our cousin’s well being. In particular, our cousin who is a daughter of a pastor has indicated that she is not attending church. I tell my sister that I talked with our cousin in July, and I did not notice anything that would make me think that anything is wrong.

I tell my sister about a similar situation that I am having with a friend. My friend reaches out to me. I reply to her request. Now, she does not respond to my email. I tell my sister that we do not always know the circumstances. We do may not know what is in a person’s heart and what is on their mind. We are limited in what we can do. I suggest to my sister that she continue to pray for our cousin as long as she feels led by God to do so.

In our text Jesus returns to His hometown and begins to teach in the synagogue. Many of the people question the teaching of Jesus. They are astonished at His wisdom and His miracles. They have their own reasons to question Jesus and His works. As a result Jesus accepts His limitations. These limitations are not imposed on the people by Jesus; rather they are limitations imposed on Jesus by the people.

Like Jesus, we are to do what we can to meet the needs of the people that we are associated with. Although people have needs they may not accept our offer of assistance. They have their reasons, and we must learn to accept our limitations. Continue to pray and move on.

Prayer: Father, we thank you for your grace, mercy, and compassion. We are willing to have the same love for others. We accept our limitations, and we are continually available for your service. Amen.