Kristi Burchfiel

Observations from the Doctor, Day 14 Does the inside match the outside? Read Luke 11:33-54. I cut into an avocado the other day. It was a beautiful color on the outside, but when I cut into it, it had already started to go bad on the inside. Over the years I have had similar experiences with multiple fruits or vegetables and that has always been a frustrating experience. However, it’s not nearly as frustrating as when the same thing happens with a person. How many times have we experienced a situation where we had one view or impression of a person, and then something happens and we end up seeing…

Observations from the Doctor, Day 13 What are we asking for? Read Luke 11:1-32. When we think about our relationship with God, we may find that we are constantly making requests of God. We ask God to help us. We ask God for money and prosperity. We ask God about the weather. We ask God to help our sports teams win. We ask God for so many things. As you read the first part of this chapter, it’s easy to see that the disciples were the same. They wanted Jesus to help them understand how to pray. Jesus wanted them to understand that God is a good father who wants…

Observations from the Doctor, Day 12 Your actions matter. Read Luke 10. A couple of days ago, we focused on the importance of hearing the word of God. Then we saw the importance of faith and trusting God to be who he says he is. Today, as we read through Luke chapter 10, we see multiple stories that are focused on what people now are willing to go and do. You see, as Luke was studying and seeking to understand Jesus’s life, he recognized that Jesus was very focused on making sure people go and do the things that he has told them to do. In this chapter, we see…

Observations from the Doctor, Day 11 The big picture. Read Luke chapter 9. Reading through Luke chapter 9, we see stories that display both the power and the mercy of God. Jesus feeds the 5,000 and he’s transfigured on the top of the mountain, both demonstrating the power and true awesomeness of God. And then we see Jesus pardoning a city that doesn’t accept him and answering questions of who he is and where he’s from with patience and grace and mercy. Power and mercy. These two characteristics are so defining of who Jesus is and how he interacts with us. Every day he is full of power and full…

Observations from the Doctor, Day 10 Faith. Read Luke 8:22-56. Yesterday, we saw Jesus teaching the lesson and telling the people that they needed to pay attention and hear what he was saying. Today, as we look through the second half of Luke, chapter 8, we see four specific examples of Jesus performing incredible miracles and the faith that the people had. First, we see Jesus calming the storm and his disciples being amazed that he could do that, even though they had been spending time with him they still didn’t really know Jesus. Jesus tells them they should have faith in him. Next, we see the demons being cast…

Observations from the Doctor, Day 8 The picture of faith. Read Luke chapter 7. Of the many stories of faith and miracles and healing throughout Luke chapter 7, this story of the centurion’s sick servant always has stuck out to me. This was a man who had heard of Jesus but had never met him. He sent servants to Jesus because he didn’t feel worthy to come to him himself. He didn’t even want Jesus to come under his roof because he knew he was a sinner. Yet, he appealed to Jesus to please save his servant knowing that Jesus could do that from wherever he was. This is an…

Observations from the Doctor, Day 7 What does Jesus say and do? Read Luke chapter 6. Today, as we read through Luke chapter 6, we get a much better picture of the kinds of things that Jesus was doing and also the kinds of things Jesus was teaching. Interestingly, the chapter starts out with some things that Jesus did. Now these things were controversial and the source of a lot of frustration from the religious leaders of the day. Jesus was healing people which was fine, but he was doing that at a time and in a way that they didn’t feel like was appropriate. Healing definitely constituted work. Work…

Observations from the Doctor, Day 6 Why did Jesus come? Read Luke chapter 5. Reading through Luke chapter 5, it’s a reminder of how Jesus calls people to follow him. He finds people and meets them where they are and then offers to change them. Following Jesus is allowing God to transform our lives into the life that God desires for us. We have to be willing to leave everything we have and everything we know behind in order to only follow him. Why did Jesus come? He came because he knew we needed him. We are all sinners and he came to provide salvation. He came to heal the…