17 The seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!" 18 And he said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall hurt you. 20 Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you; but rejoice that your names are written in heaven." 21 In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, "I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes; yea, Father, for such was thy gracious will. 22 All things have been delivered to me by my Father; and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him." 23 Then turning to the disciples he said privately, "Blessed are the eyes which see what you see! 24 For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it."
Meditation: Do you know the joy of the Lord? The scriptures tell us that the joy of the Lord is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10). Why does Jesus tell his disciples to not take joy in their own successes, even spiritual ones? Jesus makes clear that the true source of our joy is God, and God alone. Regardless of the circumstances, in good times and bad times, in success or loss, God always assures us of victory in Jesus Christ. Jesus assures his disciples that he has all power over evil, including the power of Satan and the evil spirits or fallen angels who conspire against us. In fact, that is why Jesus came into the world to overthrow the evil one (John 12:31). We, too, as disciples of Jesus have been given spiritual authority and power for overcoming the works of darkness and evil (1 John 2:13-14).
Jesus thanks the Father in heaven for revealing to his disciples the
wisdom and knowledge of God. What does Jesus' prayer tell us about
God and about ourselves? First, it tells us that God is both Father
and Lord of earth as well as heaven. He is both Creator and Author of all
that he has made, the first origin of everything and transcendent authority,
and at the same time, goodness and loving care for all his children. All
fatherhood and motherhood is derived from him (Ephesians 3:14-15). Jesus'
prayer also contains a warning that pride can keep us from the love and
knowledge of God. What makes us ignorant and blind to the things
of God? Sinful pride springs from exaggerated self-centeredness.
It closes the mind to God's truth and wisdom for our lives. The angels
fell into pride and were cast out of heaven. The virtue of humility,
the only true remedy against false pride, and which is very different from
the feelings of inferiority and low self- esteem, leads us to a true recognition
of who we are in God and of our dependence on God.
Jesus contrasts intellectual pride with child-like simplicity and humility.
The simple of heart are like "babes" in the sense that they see purely
without pretense and acknowledge their dependence and trust in the one
who is greater, wiser, and more trustworthy. They seek one thing — the
"summum bonum" or "greatest good" who is God himself. Simplicity
of heart is wedded with humility, the queen of virtues, because humility
inclines the heart towards grace and truth. Just as pride is the root or
every sin and evil, so humility is the only soil in which the grace of
God can take root. It alone takes the right attitude before God and
allows him as God to do all. God opposes the proud, but gives grace to
the humble (Prov. 3:34, James 4:6). The grace of Christ-like humility inclines
us to God and disposes us to receive God's wisdom. Nothing can give
us greater joy than the knowledge that we are God's beloved and that our
names are written in heaven. Do you seek to be like Jesus Christ in humility
and simplicity of heart?
Jesus makes a claim which no one would have dared to make: He is the
perfect revelation of God. One of the greatest truths of the Christian
faith is that we can know the living God. Our knowledge of God is
not simply limited to knowing something about God, but we can know God
personally. The essence of Christianity, and what makes it distinct
from Judaism and other religions, is the knowledge of God as our Father.
Jesus makes it possible for each of us to personally know God as our Father.
To see Jesus is to see what God is like. In Jesus we see the perfect
love of God -- a God who cares intensely and who yearns over men and women,
loving them to the point of laying down his life for them upon the Cross.
Jesus is the revelation of God -- a God who loves us completely, unconditionally
and perfectly. Jesus also promises that God the Father will hear
our prayers when we pray in his name. That is why Jesus taught his followers
to pray with confidence, Our Father who art in heaven ..give us this day
our daily bread. Do you pray to your Father in heaven with
joy and confidence in his love and care for you?
"Lord, give me the child-like simplicity and purity of faith to
gaze upon your face with joy and confidence in your all-merciful love.
Remove every doubt, fear, and proud thought which would hinder me from
receiving your word with trust and humble submission."