Daily Reading: Luke 19
Scripture Focus: He was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. (Luke 19.3)
Devotional Thought: Can you hear those transcendent words: “Zacchaeus was a wee little man, and a wee little man was he”? Zacchaeus was a tax collector. Nobody liked tax collectors, no matter whether they were wee little men or great big men! The good news about Zacchaeus was that he wanted to see Jesus. The bad news, however, was that he could not.
Two reasons are given:
· Zacchaeus could not see through the crowd. Zacchaeus was insulated from Jesus by everybody and everything around him. Truth be told, most of the people were probably not friendly toward Zacchaeus. I like the fact that Zacchaeus did not let them remain barriers. He pressed through them until he came to Jesus. He swallowed his pride, endured the rejection, and found a way to victory! What crowds out Jesus in your life? What will you face today that will be an obstacle? Our troubles, temptations, and treasures may act as insulators, but we can rise above the ‘crowd’ and see Jesus!
· Zacchaeus was small in stature. When he saw the crowd – the enormity of the challenge – Zacchaeus could have let his small stature defeat him. And, not only was he small physically, but he was small in character as well, having cheated and stolen and lied his way to the top. But, the prospect of seeing Jesus, changed all that for him. While he couldn’t do anything about his physical stature, he was determined to do something about his spiritual stature! Instead of giving up, we need to have enough faith to run ahead and climb a tree.
This Christmas season find a tree to climb so that you can see Jesus!
Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for the story of the man Zacchaeus, who was small in stature and small in character. You helped him that day to find a tree that he could climb to see you. When he saw you and responded to you, you changed him into a great man. I want to see you this season. Help me to find and climb the right tree! Amen.
Psalm of the Day: Psalm 143.1-6
1 Hear my prayer, O Lord; give ear to my pleas for mercy! In your faithfulness answer me, in your righteousness! 2 Enter not into judgment with your servant, for no one living is righteous before you.
3 For the enemy has pursued my soul; he has crushed my life to the ground; he has made me sit in darkness like those long dead. 4 Therefore my spirit faints within me; my heart within me is appalled.
5 I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done; I ponder the work of your hands. 6 I stretch out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land. Selah
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