Good day dear friends.
I know there has been quite an absence in my sending this email devotional and I pray forgiveness and I ask continued prayer for me, my family and our preparations for General Conference, the transition between here and Harlingen, our new appointment, etc.
Here is today's text:
As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, "Follow me." And he got up and followed him. 10 And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting with him and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" 12 But when he heard this, he said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 Go and learn what this means, "I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners."
In case you've awakened from a long fog of a sleep, today is tax day. And I can proudly say that for the first time in my history of being a taxpayer, I filed early! And my taxes have already been processed! What a miracle! I also have overcome what I used to do, that of filing for an extension giving me til August, then in August I would file for an October extension, then I would file. It is so much better not worrying about which post office will be open until midnight so that I can rush over there with my extension form filled out and ready to mail.
Paying taxes have never been a popular thing except for those who work for the IRS. Even in Jesus' time the calling of Matthew to be a disciple meant calling a man away from the tax table. Matthew may have been among the wealthiest of the disciples for the common practice, and he may not have been one who participated in it, was to set a "tax" higher than due the Roman government and keeping the difference. But Matthew's call into ministry also meant that his former co-workers were invited to a dinner that night. Here is where the criticism begins. Jesus was sitting at the same table with tax collectors AND sinners. What's the difference you might ask? Jesus was in violation of keeping clean by sitting with those considered unclean. Jesus' response was to tell the folks there that he had come to be with those in need of mercy, those considered "sick" by others.
Our hope is in Jesus who invites us all to His table. One of the beautiful things, of many, is that as United Methodists every time we celebrate the Lord's Supper we say that the table of the Lord is open to all who desire to be in communion with the Lord and no one is denied. And the same is true in our spiritual life.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank you for the openness of Your love. Help me to model that in my life today. I ask it in Jesus' name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
e.v.
PS Don't forget to file your taxes! Or extensions!
