A Greedy Man
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Transformation is radical change.
“A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore – fig tree to see Him, since Jesus was coming that way??? (Luke 19:2-4).
“When Jesus reached the spot, He looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.??? So he came down at once and welcomed Him gladly??? (Luke 19:5, 6).
“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??? (Luke 19:8).
Zacchaeus knew who he was – a short, wealthy man who achieved his riches by cheating others – yet he wanted to see Jesus.
Jesus was compelling. Because He loved sinners, touched unclean beggars, accepted everyone regardless of their social status and shared a message of truth and grace, everyone was drawn to Jesus.
Therefore, Zacchaeus didn’t let his evil behavior – his greed – keep him from seeking Jesus. Nor did he let a sense of being victim to life’s random injustices – his shortness – keep him from seeking his goal. Willing to make a fool of himself in order to attain what he knew he needed, Zacchaeus, a grown man, climbed a tree.
That day, a dramatic makeover took place. Jesus’ love and truth transformed a greedy man into a generous man. Zacchaeus saw the reality of his life and believed Jesus was the only answer.
~God, I don’t want anything to keep me from seeking You because You are who I need. Change me the way You changed Zacchaeus.
About the Author
This devotional was written by Suzanne Benner. Read more about Suzanne: http://www.talk.thelife.com/authors/suzanne-benner/
Questions
1) Do you feel like you need to fix yourself before you can come to Jesus?
2) What things hold you back from coming to Jesus?
3) How have you experienced God’s compelling love?
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Yet another great devotion. It is easy to feel unworthy, but to Him we are! There is nothing like a personal relationship with the Lord! Your eyes become open to a whole “new world”.
Signing truly Blessed,
Tracy
This devotional touched my heart. I often feel like this and for good reason. We are never “worthy” in our human flesh of all that Jesus has blessed us with. Just knowing that Jesus died on that cross so that we could come to him and be made worthy in a heavenly, eternal sense outside of our flesh is so uplifting. I have to keep reminding myself that I will never be perfect here on earth but Jesus died that I may be worthy. In knowing this, we have to keep coming to Jesus each day even though we will never quite feel worthy here on earth.
When we truly meet Jesus, we are changed forever.
There is not another experience in the whole world like it.
I’m glad, like Zacchaeus, I wanted to meet Jesus even though I knew I was unworthy.
Zacchaeus must have known that he could come to Christ and that he would be accepted by him even though he was a, much dispised, tax collector.
“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. “(Matthew 11:28)
Once we know that Christ will acept us no matter what we have done then we can easily come to Him knowing that we will not be rejected and that He is waiting with open arms.
I am sure there are things I hold back from God and myself but I can’t give them a name right now. I’ll work on this. Hope you will too.
Thank you for this, there are things that I am sure I hold back from God, and lately God has been revealing things to me.
God Bless
It is very Interesting lesson .I like it .
MAY GOD BLESS YOU RICHILY.