Passage of the Day:
Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. 5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. 7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.” 8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost,” Luke 19:1-10.
Reflection:
In the first century, the two most morally corrupt occupations were prostitutes and tax collectors. Tax Collectors often overcharged citizens more than the government demanded, pocketing this extra money for themselves. Prior to Jesus’ visit to Jericho, Zacchaeus must have been overwhelmed by conviction. This combination of guilt and shame inspired the small stature of Zacchaeus to climb a tree to get Jesus’ attention. Like fans of a celebrity, desperately seeking an autograph, Zacchaeus does everything in his power to get Jesus’ attention. This sets the stage for a divine appointment.
Prayerful Action:
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness, 1 John 1:9.
Setting Clear Boundaries to Live By:
The one thing that you can take away from the testimony of Zaccheaus is that it’s never too late to change. Jesus’ earthly brother urged first century Christians to confess their sins to one another, James 5:16. However, when you do acknowledge your short comings, don’t fall back into these sinful habits. If you find yourself sliding further away from God, ask a Christian friend to hold you accountable. Genuine confession isn’t sincere unless it’s followed by acts of contrition.
Song of the Day:
Silverline is another group that I discovered on You Tube during Covid. May the words of Never Look Back inspire you to move beyond confession to become a shining light for Jesus.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 