Luke 19:1-10
He entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. 3 And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. 4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way.
5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. 7 And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.”
8 And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.”
9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
But cha know, we all gotta make our way in life. We need to plan carefully and think and re-think. Worry is needed. Make all the good choices. Work hard.
We need to take the moment we have and just REJOICE with all our might.
Oops. Little endurance needed now.
Rise up keep going. Best foot forward.
Matthew 13
When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. 20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. 22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 23 As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.
When you've had a day with sensory overload. Processing all the things I heard this week, missing times when the news didn't seem to be filled with allies and invasions.
You have to look at all the open drawers and see what mattered to you. Today, we prayed for the Children to go to Sunday School and know how much Jesus loves them. And that's my cue. I pray for these children, my just-about-grown children. I pray for the way HE would raise all of us up.
The answer is still Jesus. Do we expect HIM to show up. Or are we going to make all the brilliant James Bond moves ourselves. And I pray for the people given to me in life to know HIM.
Once you've been through the storm a few times, you have some gratitude at getting over That Part. And you can look back and say "I get why Jesus slept through the storm!" God will do what HE will. And when you've been doing that long enough, you decide you can still walk along HIM with wonder.
Wanting to share the reason we endure with hope, faith and love. Wanting to see HIM run to them. And to see that face registering the joy and expectation HE does bring. No one else can say all things are possible with HIM.
Why do we want to share HIM? Because HE brings endurance, hope, character, compassion. Faith. LOVE. He believes we will go forward to HIM. HE believes in us. People will swirl, squelch, quibble, squabble, but the people who stick it out go far.
Matthew 24:13
The one who endures to the end will be saved. The one who stands firm to the end will be saved.
Hebrews 10:39
We are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.
Hebrews 1
Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.
Today. If you hear His voice - Today.
Realize He is the God who would run to you. Longs to hold you in his arms, as a Hen gathers her young. And feels all the Love and Compassion to uphold you. This is the GOD of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Living. Active. Adopting John on the way to the cross. And Mary Magdalene on the triumphant return. Our Father and HIS.
I will never leave or forsake you. And the joy of the Lord is Strength.
The answer is still Jesus.
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