Scripture Verses that Caught My Attention Today: Luke 19:8-10 Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.” 9 Then Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.”
Observation: Luke 19 is a relatively heavy and ominous chapter…or at least it becomes so after this opening segment. Jesus is on the verge of entering Jerusalem where, I guess we could say, all hell will break out against him. So when Jesus says, as he does above, “Today salvation has come to this house…” I can sense joy in his voice. And later, a confirmation of purpose: “For the Son of Man came to seek out and save the lost.”
Application: It has often been said that “it’s gonna get worse before it gets better.” Sometimes that’s the case. I suppose in the over-all scheme of things, that’s also true in regard to Jesus; crucifixion came before resurrection.
But it’s also true that sometimes we need (or at least appreciate) a positive or hopeful experience that can sort of help carry us through an impending trial. I think that’s what happened to Jesus in the passage above. The conversion of Zacchaeus was a really encouraging sign…and timely, especially in light of what Jesus would soon undergo.
Whenever I periodically go through a trial of one sort or another, whether great or small, I often find it helpful to consider the blessings I have already received and/or the signs that I am on the right path, even if it happens to be difficult at the time. Such things remind me of what I am to be about, or why I should consider myself fortunate. It provides a way of embracing the future, however uncertain it might seem at the time.
Prayer: Lord, thanks for the past, present, and future which are all in your hands. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
(Scripture Readings today included: Esther 9-10 and Luke 19)
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