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Women in Discipleship (sm)
Devotionals for 2005
Week 18
How do you embrace each new day? We wake up with thoughts and feelings, desires, concerns, hopes, plans, and much more. When I wake up, my usual routine is to consider what day it is and the agenda that is planned on my calendar. In my heart there can be excitement, hope, concern, or sometimes dread. Most of the time, I am the type of person who walks forward in moderate hopefulness. As I grow in Christ, I am improving in my attitude, but it is still a work in progress. My earnest desire is to choose His plan for my day and walk in Him. What about you?
Scripture to ponder: Luke 19:6 - "And he hurried and came down and received Him gladly."
You might wonder what this verse has to do with this devotional. In the context of this verse, Jesus was speaking with Zacchaeus. Jesus invited Himself to Zacchaeus' house. This was an unexpected invitation. Jesus, being the God-Man, saw that Zacchaeus' heart was ready for transformation that morning. What did Zacchaeus do? He came down and received Jesus with joy. Wow! This despicable sinner was ready for cleansing, and Jesus knew it. Timing is everything!
How do we know his joy was genuine? The story goes on to state that Zacchaeus told Jesus he would give back four times of anything he had taken from others. This demonstration came from his new heart as a fruit of righteousness, not as a condition of his salvation. No work was necessary, and he knew that. Surrender to Jesus yielded him the fruit of righteousness, and Christ's righteousness was his gift.
What about us? Zacchaeus woke up hungry for truth that day, and he acted upon his deep need. Jesus invited Himself to dine with Zacchaeus. Are we inviting Him into our busy lives? As we wake to each new day, may our hearts be ready to respond first and foremost to Jesus' call to share in the fruit of His righteousness, that we have received by the loving sacrifice of our Savior.
May our hearts embrace Jesus in our waking and in our sleeping every day.
Blessings to each of you,
Sandra Davis for the team at Women in Discipleship
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