 |
JESUS, THE LIFE-CHANGER 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 NIV) When Jesus entered Jericho everybody wanted to see Him. Being a rather short man, Zaccheaus was unable to see through the crowd so he ran ahead of the crowd and climbed into a sycamore tree so he could see Jesus as He walked by. Little did he know that the Lord was going to stay at his home that day. He was soon scrambling down the tree and rushing to his home to prepare for the Lord’s visit. The Bible tells us that Zacchaeus was the chief among the publicans and was rich (Luke 19:2 KJV). In Jesus’ day, publicans or tax collectors were resented by their fellow Jews. Not only were they considered as traitors for collecting taxes from their own people for the occupying Roman Empire, they were also considered corrupt because they made themselves rich by collecting more than they should. No wonder the people disapproved of Jesus’ visit to the home of Zaccheaus. But Jesus did not see Zaccheaus the way the people saw him. Jesus saw the potential. Besides, Jesus Himself said, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.” (Luke 19:10 NIV) Before Jesus left the home of Zacchaeus he was a changed man. He was no longer the thieving tax collector. He had had a change of heart. Friend, when Jesus comes by, when any man or woman comes in contact with Him, there has to be a change because He is the Life-changer. The Word of God tells us that “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV). So great was the change that Zaccheaus declared publicly that he would give half his possessions to the poor and better still, that he would restore four times that which he had falsely taken (Luke 19:8). The Samaritan Woman also encountered a change and so dramatic was that change that she could not keep the news to herself. The Bible tells us that she ran, leaving her water pot, to go and tell all the people “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did…..” (John 4:28-29) No matter how hopeless your life may seem, one encounter with Jesus will bring transformation and the change will be evident. Are you tired of your old ways? Then you need Jesus. Give Him your life today and see Him change you into the person that He has destined you to be. On the other hand, you may have already had an encounter with Jesus but somehow you have drifted away and gone your own way. It is not too late. Reconnect with the Master and allow Him to do a work in you. Let Him mold you into the person He wants you to be. Friend, a life without Jesus is an incomplete, insecure life. Everybody needs Jesus. Like the song writer, we too need to cry, “I need Thee O I need Thee, every hour, I need Thee.”.
He truly is the Life-Changer! Prayer: Lord, it is your desire to change us and make us into the men and women that you desire us to be. We desire the change so we give you full control. Have your way with us. Mold us and make us so that we can truly be what you want us to be. We thank you in advance for what you are going to do. In Jesus Name we pray. Amen.
Click here for previous devotions
|
|