Scripture: Luke 19:1-10 (NLT) – “Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town.  There was a man there named Zacchaeus.  He was the chief tax collector in the region, and he had become very rich.  He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowd.  So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree beside the road, for Jesus was going to pass that way.  When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. ‘Zacchaeus!’ he said. ‘Quick, come down!  I must be a guest in your home today.’  Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy.  But the people were displeased.  ‘He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner,’ they grumbled.  Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, ‘I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!’  Jesus responded, ‘Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham.  For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.’”

Message: I like to read one of the Gospels after Advent and I came to the story of Zacchaeus in Luke.  I mentioned to my daughter, Sarah, that I was thinking that this might be the focus of my post Advent devotion.  The first thing she did was to break out singing the song she learned so many years ago.  Let’s face it – we all sort of do the same thing. 

This story is so much more than that.  Zacchaeus is a very rich tax collector, and although we don’t really know too much after that, we have an idea that, like many tax collectors in the day, he was dishonest, selfish, and most likely lonely since he was probably despised.  Yet, (and this is a big yet), he felt compelled to get a look at Jesus and had to climb a tree just to do that.  Hidden among the leaves, Jesus found him, called him by name, and had dinner with him.

In this encounter, Zacchaeus has a powerful conversion of the heart, head, and purse.  He realizes at that moment he has a chance to start over.  He can put selfishness, dishonesty, and loneliness behind him.  The love of Christ empowered him to have a new beginning.  Although the folks of Jericho were displeased – God, through Jesus, saw an opportunity to show grace, mercy, and love for all to see. 

Where has Jesus found you?  Were you, or are you, hiding from Him?  How can, or did He, get you to join Him?

There was hope for Zacchaeus, just as there is hope for us.  We do have another chance.  Sometimes when we start over, we experience our greatest encounters with the triune God.    

What baggage do we want to leave behind this Lent?  Along with God, who can help us to start over?  Jesus came to seek and save all of us who are lost.  Isn’t that a powerful proclamation!

Prayer: Creator God, thank You for seeing a chance to start over in all of us.  Your grace and love are examples of You wanting us to succeed in having a close relationship with You.  Give us the strength and courage to take that step of change.  In your Son’s precious name.  Amen. 

Debbie Babbage