A Grandmother’s Journal: Entries from the Gospel of Luke

By Bonnie Brooks

Through an accumulation of circumstances, God led the author, Bonnie Brooks, to trek through the Gospel of Luke, breaking up fallow ground, shovel in hand, relishing the views, amazing vistas, and journaling phrases.

Born out of an encounter with the Almighty, A Grandmother’s Journal is written for the purpose of passing on a spiritual legacy to the next generation. The Journal chronicles a daily spiritual expedition into the earthly life of Jesus as viewed through the eyes of the beloved physician, Luke. Together with Brooks, stroll the dusty roads of Israel, feel the breeze and splashes of water as you sail on the Sea of Galilee in a first-century boat while encountering a storm, celebrate miracles Jesus performed no one imagined possible, and kneel at the cross on Golgotha as the sky darkens and the ground quakes. Come alone or better yet, invite others to share the journey with you.

A Grandmother’s Journal explores the deeper layers of Luke’s Gospel, the longest Gospel of the Bible and the most comprehensive of the three other Gospels. As Brooks portrays various scenes in her entries, you are urged to recall people, events, and spiritual markers from your own story, your legacy, in order to pass them onto the next generation. From her heart to yours!

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Oct 22, 2021
• ISBN: 9781664245648

Bonnie Brooks

Bonnie Brooks recalls the days of twelve-inch black and white television screens, but favors life in “living color,” including pink bubblegum ice cream, peach-colored tulips, and maroon and gold college football. Over her lifetime, she has nurtured an unwavering passion for the Word of God. She has discipled women one-on-one for more than twenty years with the Bible as their textbook. She resides in picturesque Arizona with her husband of more than fifty years. Her other loves include two children, their spouses, and six grandchildren.

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The Back Story

When the Apostle Paul was under house arrest in Rome, I imagine him residing in a scantly furnished room. But, he was not alone. His traveling companion, Luke, remained with him. Some Biblical scholars believe it was at this time Luke penned the Books of Luke and Acts, which were one substantial compilation. However, during the second century, the one volume was divided into two parts.

Although images of scribes at writing tables hang in prominent art galleries, based on the ancient world, Luke was probably writing on his knee with a parchment and reed pen. Perhaps Paul glanced over his shoulder as the Holy Spirit inspired his initial strokes, In as much as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us. Luke 1:1 (NASB)

There is ample evidence that Luke penned the Book, although he does not attribute the Book to himself, and his name does not appear. He is perhaps the only non-Jewish writer in the Bible. Written about AD 60, he wrote primarily for a Gentile audience.

Not only is Luke’s Gospel the longest Gospel, but it is the most comprehensive of the three other Gospels. He would have expended extensive time and effort conducting a thorough exploration of Jesus earthly life, along with investigative interviews with disciples and others.

Luke’s Gospel was originally composed for Theophilus, whose name means loved by God or friend of God. In Luke 1:3, the title, most excellent, suggests he may have been a high-ranking Roman officer.

Like some Biblical characters, we know little or nothing about the early years of his life or his conversion story. He lived during the first century, but was not an eye-witness to Jesus ministry. Ancient Christian tradition records that he was a Greek from Antioch.

Although Luke did not disclose his occupation, Paul informs us he was a medical physician (Colossians 4:14). As a beloved doctor, he would have been an educated man of science. Therefore, we should not be surprised his Gospel contains more accounts of physical healings than the other three.

Luke, a man of humility, wore many hats. He was an evangelist, a medical physician, a church historian, and a traveling companion to Paul. An early source provides us with his epitaph below:

"He served the Lord without distraction, having

neither wife nor children and at the age of 84 he

fell asleep in Boeatia, full of the Holy Spirit."

T. R. McNeal

Before you jump into the first scene of A Grandmother’s Journal, contemplate the life of this obscure man. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, He took up a scroll and pen to chronicle the earthly life of Jesus and the birth of the Church. From God to us, the written word came through his fingertips and by means of men and women who gave their lives to preserve and disseminate it. It is the faith we hold in our hands today. Luke could not have known that one day these sacred writings would be contained within the canon of inspired Scripture.

Scene 1: Selected Verses (NASB)

Entry: The smallest words like Yes, No, or But can have a profound meaning. The little word But is a conjunction word used to connect phrases, sentences, and thoughts.

Luke 1:5-7 - Elizabeth was a godly woman, BUT had not conceived a child. Throughout her life, she obeyed the Lord’s commands, BUT what she wanted most had been withheld from her.

Luke 1:11-19 - Zacharias was troubled, BUT the angel cautioned him not to be afraid. In fear’s grip, God assured him he would receive his request, BUT would he believe God?

Luke 1:21, 22 – People gathered outside the Temple, waiting expectantly for Zacharias, BUT he was delayed. He was sharing a conversation with an angel, BUT they wanted to know what was taking so long.

Luke 1:28-34 - Suddenly an angel greeted Mary, announcing she was favored by God, and the Lord was with her, BUT she was perplexed. She was privileged, BUT confused and unsettled.

There will be times in your life when God withholds, or fear has you in its grip, waiting is the only option, or something occurs without warning. Don’t panic.

"Faith sees the invisible, believes the unbelievable,

and receives the impossible." Corrie ten Boom

Final Stroke of the Pen: For nothing will be impossible with God. Luke 1:37 (NASB)

Scene 2: Luke 1:30-38 (NASB)

Entry: Tucked into Mary’s response to the angel’s startling announcement were nine words that changed the course of her teenage life. Literally, Mary was declaring, I dare not choose my lot; I would not if I might: choose thou for me, my God, so shall I walk aright. Horatius Bonar Thy Way, Not Mine, O Lord

For three years, my beloved friend, Barb, and I met for discipleship one-on-one every Tuesday afternoon. At the two-year mark, she was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. In spite of radiation, chemotherapy, and endless doctor appointments, she was determined to continue meeting. Until the Lord called her Home, we connected each week. As the pastor prepared for her memorial service, he found Bonar’s poem tucked inside the pages of her Bible. She had received it a year earlier during one of our sessions. During this difficult season of life, this prose was her response to God.

Two devoted women, each one facing an unexpected storm not in the forecast, willingly left their choices with Him. They could not have been in more capable, loving hands, and neither are you. The Hands which formed you are the same Hands bearing nail scars. No one can snatch you from His strong hands.

"God always gives His best to those

who leave the choice with him."

Jim Elliot

Final Stroke of the Pen: If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it. Matthew 10:39 (NLT)

Scene 3: Luke 1:39-41 (NASB)

Entry: Don’t hesitate to ask questions. They are a necessary part of discovery.

Who was Zacharias? Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, was from the priestly line of Abijah. A godly man, he was the first person in the New Testament to speak to an angel. Throughout his lifetime, he pleaded with God for a son, but remained childless. Advanced in years, it is believed he was probably between sixty and seventy years old.

Who was Elizabeth? Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist, was from the priestly tribe of Aaron. For years, she ached and prayed for a son, but age was working against her. She resigned herself to the inevitable.

Why did Mary go in haste to see Elizabeth? Perhaps she longed for time alone with an older, wiser woman who could help her navigate the difficult road ahead.

Jesus is the Great Questioner. In the Gospels, He posed over 300 questions. He often answered questions with questions. In Jeremiah 30:21b, God asked a question that is perhaps the most probing question of all. He summons your response.

"A question is an invitation to vulnerability,

to intimacy. The Bible does not

shy away from such an invite."

Beth Moore

Final Stroke of the Pen: ‘For who is he who will devote himself to be close to me?’ declares the LORD. Jeremiah 30:21b (NIV)

Scene 4: Luke 1:26, 39, and 40 (NASB)

Entry: Cartography is the art and science of maps. With the use of maps, we successfully determine a route. In ancient times, cave wall etchings and stone carvings enabled travelers to reach their destination.

Mary’s trip began in Nazareth, a town west of the Sea of Galilee. Her destination was a small Judean town, Enkerem, meaning to tend vineyards, about ninety miles south of Jerusalem. Can you visualize the landscape upon her arrival? As she stepped through the doorway of Zacharias’ home, there would have been an emotional reunion. Could anyone grasp Mary’s encounter with the angel, Gabriel, and the promise of a miraculous conception but Elizabeth? More than likely, the next three months flew by as these two women discussed morning sickness, food cravings, and fatigue. Surely there were silent moments when they sat together in God’s conscious presence. Before they knew it, Mary was packing to make the return grueling trip to Nazareth.

Where are you on the road to where you are going? Have you asked God to reveal the path ahead? Aren’t you grateful God has withheld His plan from you? Relax. He knows the way He is taking you.

"Everything is necessary that God sends our way;

nothing can be necessary that he withholds."

John Newton

Final Stroke of the Pen: But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold. Job 23:10 (NIV).

Scene 5: Luke 1:18, 34, and 43 (NASB)

Entry: God is in the unexpected, and questions always accompany the unexpected. Life was not turning out as Zacharias, Elizabeth or Mary anticipated. Zacharias had no son. Because of the improbability that he could father a child, he struggled with unbelief. Elizabeth had no baby to cradle in her arms. She wrestled to comprehend how she could conceive a child. Mary was pregnant with the Son of the Highest, but she was a virgin.

Answers to our questions can be found in who God is. For example, "I will cry to God Most High, to God who accomplishes all things for me." Psalm 57:2 (NASB) God Most High is the Transcendent God, far above all creation. He is also the Immanent God, intimately involved in the details of our lives. This is best portrayed by the life of my favorite Old Testament Bible character, Joseph. There are at least forty recorded instances where God was involved in the details of his life, but this is not unique to him.

Our lives are a tapestry God is weaving based on His colors and design. Does that make you uncomfortable? For example, God may have allowed something to occur in your life when He could have prevented it. His ways are not our ways. Expect the unexpected as you follow Jesus.

"In all the setbacks of your life as a believer,

God is plotting for your joy." John Piper

Final Stroke of the Pen: But our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases. Psalm 115:3 (NASB)

Scene 6: Luke 1:46-55 (NASB)

Entry: As I placed myself into the text, the opening scene from Sound of Music flashed before my eyes. I pictured Julie Andrews standing on a grassy mountaintop with her arms raised, declaring the hills were alive with music. However, more amazing to me was Mary’s pronouncement entitled the Magnificat by Biblical scholars. Perhaps she went to a mountaintop with arms raised. Out of the depths of her soul, desires, and affections flowed worship, like a vast flood sweeping over her. In that sacred moment, as Mary exalted the Lord, life for her was not about generating a big splash. Life was about magnifying Him, and creating a ripple effect with the potential of inspiring subsequent generations.

As Luke carefully and thoroughly investigated events and interviewed eyewitnesses from Jesus life, how was he able to include Mary’s declaration in his writings? Perhaps Mary journaled her declaration and shared the pages of her record with him. We do know that all Scripture is inspired by God.

As we become worshippers like Mary, a fresh rhythm of music will flow from the depths of our beings. When was the last time you heard the music?

"The climax of God’s happiness is the delight

He takes in the echoes of His excellence

in the praises of His people. John Piper

Final Stroke of the Pen: One generation shall praise Thy works to another, and shall declare Thy mighty acts. Psalm 145:4 (NASB)

Scene 7: Luke 1:49 (NASB)

Entry: Listen to these voices from across the ages:

• Who among all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this.

Job 12:9 (NASB)

• The LORD has done great things for us; we are glad. Psalm 126:3 (NASB)

But what happens when adversity knocks at your door? What do you do and say when you find yourself in difficult, unfamiliar surroundings?

Elijah found himself in an unlikely location in the Judean wilderness. By the Brook Cherith, cut off from society for one year, he experienced the God who