Loving God of all days, on this day be glorified in the life of this dear reader; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Our text for today comes from Luke 19: 1 Then Jesus entered and walked through Jericho. 2 There was a man there, his name Zacchaeus, the head tax man and quite rich. 3 He wanted desperately to see Jesus, but the crowd was in his way - he was a short man and couldn't see over the crowd. 4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up in a sycamore tree so he could see Jesus when he came by. 5 When Jesus got to the tree, he looked up and said, "Zacchaeus, hurry down. Today is my day to be a guest in your home." 6 Zacchaeus scrambled out of the tree, hardly believing his good luck, delighted to take Jesus home with him. 7 Everyone who saw the incident was indignant and grumped, "What business does he have getting cozy with this crook?" 8 Zacchaeus just stood there, a little stunned. He stammered apologetically, "Master, I give away half my income to the poor - and if I'm caught cheating, I pay four times the damages." 9 Jesus said, "Today is salvation day in this home! Here he is: Zacchaeus, son of Abraham! 10 For the Son of Man came to find and restore the lost." (The Message Version of The Holy Bible)
He was made known to many of us through his song. "Zacchaeus was a wee little man, a wee little man was he. He climbed upon the sycamore tree, for the Lord he wanted to see..." And for years we sang it and didn't think much of it other than, "What's a wee little man?" The truth was that he was anything but cute in the eyes of his fellow brothers and sisters. He wasn't "wee" in his sins. What he did have in his favor was that he had more than likely heard about this man Jesus and what Jesus had been doing, and so Zach wanted to see for himself what this "rock star" looked like. He climbs a sycamore tree to get a better view of Jesus but in reality Jesus had the best view of him. Jesus tells him that He is to be Zach's guest for supper and Zach can hardly believe his luck and hurries to get things ready. As they do, the gripes start. I like this version's statement of things: "How could Jesus get cozy with this crook?" The truth was that Jesus was already at work in Zach's heart. To recompense all he had taken advantage of, he says he will repay four times what he had taken, and he would give half of his income to the poor.
Some would ask, myself included at some point, how much did he have left? And it's not what Zach lost, it's what he gained that day. He gained his soul back from the devil, and his viewpoint about life changed. No longer was it about money and things, it was now about the salvation, the new birth, the new faith in God that he had, that mattered most.
What view does Jesus have about your life? Are you becoming aware of your need, as Zach did, to become a better person, one who turns over everything to God?
PRAYER: Loving God, forgive me for having the wrong view on life. Help me see myself as You do and I ask You to change me. May I have a deeper love and appreciation for You and for the rich and wonderful blessings I have now. May I use them to help others and the work of Your kingdom. I pray this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
PS. A prayer of thanksgiving for today. It was on this date, though a Saturday, that after I believe, one miscarriage and a stillbirth that my Mom gave birth to me. She named me for my Dad, Eradio; Sr., and had me baptized 31 days later just in case I didn't hang around very long. I am thankful for her and her love and I miss her terribly. I am also thankful for my Dad and his love and I am thankful he is still with us.
