Come Home for Christmas
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
My Prayer Today
Heavenly Father, I open the “home” of my heart to You today! I pray that You—Father, Son and Holy Spirit—will come in and live with me, will lead and guide all that I am and do today and each day of life. I pray that as I go about this day that I will recognize Your voice within me and will respond in obedience to Your commands. Give me opportunities today to demonstrate my faith in You to others through words and actions. Glorify Yourself in my life today by letting me live as salt and light in every situation. I pray for those in this Christmas season who have no sense of “home” in their lives, either physically or spiritually. Pour out Your Spirit in this region that the lost may be found, and that those of us who trust You may be empowered to live boldly in Your name. Give each of us the joy of Jesus, and the passion for life that only You can give. This I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, my Savior and Lord. Amen.
God’s Word Today
Luke 19:1-10
1Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town. 2There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was one of the most influential Jews in the Roman tax-collecting business, and he had become very rich. 3He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowds. 4So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree beside the road, so he could watch from there.
5When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. “Zacchaeus!” he said. “Quick, come down! For I must be a guest in your home today.”
6Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy. 7But the crowds were displeased. “He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner,” they grumbled.
8Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have overcharged people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!”
9Jesus responded, “Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a son of Abraham. 10And I, the Son of Man, have come to seek and save those like him who are lost.”
Reflecting on God’s Word
How would you respond if Jesus literally came to your door and invited Himself to dinner with you?
A Deeper Exploration of God’s Word
Do you think that Jesus knew Zacchaeus by name, because of His nature as the Son of God, or because Zacchaeus had a reputation, since he was a prominent tax collector – and he had an identifying physical characteristic—he was short?
Why do you think that Jesus said, “I MUST be a quest in your home today?” What impact do you think the request would have had on Zacchaeus? Why?
Understanding God’s Purpose for Us
What is God’s purpose for our lives according to Luke 19:5?
Applying God’s Word to Our Purpose
The key action in today’s Scripture was an invitation by Jesus for Zacchaeus to take Him to his home. Using this literal situation as a figurative illustration for us, what do you need to do to “put your house in order” right now? In other words what is going on in your life that is not contributing to your growth and obedience as a follower of Jesus? Take some time in prayer right now to confess any unwholesome actions and patterns to Jesus, and to listen for His instructions in how you ought to be investing your time. Write any insights below:
Thoughts—“I Must Be a Guest In Your Home Today!”
How do you suppose Zacchaeus felt when Jesus commanded him to come down from the tree and take Him home as a guest? From the remainder of the Zacchaeus account we can assume that he was excited. Zacchaeus was a man who was ready to invite Jesus not only into his home, but into his heart, as well. The obvious message from today’s single verse of Scripture is that as our Savior, Jesus invites Himself into our homes EVERY DAY! When we wake up in the morning, Jesus waits to join us in whatever may be happening that day, whether it’s a work day or a school day, or a vacation day. Jesus knows us better than we know ourselves, so when He invites Himself to be a guest in our “home,” in our hearts, we would be wise to accept the invitation. With Jesus in charge of our lives, we will know greater joy than could otherwise be possible. We will also face greater challenges as followers of Jesus, because He will lead us beyond our comfort zones to reach out to those who need to know Him. A life lived with Jesus at the center is one in which we will never be bored, and in which we will always have a sense of meaning and purpose that goes far beyond the mundane and self-centered purposes offered by the world. As we go about this day, let’s make certain that the first thing we do is accept Jesus’ invitation to be a guest in our homes!