Zacchaeus Makes Restitution


For the season of Lent I'll be sharing devotions from Grace Lutheran's devotional book: "Forgiven." 

While these devotions are not my words and may not represent my own faith or theological understanding, they are valuable personal faith perspectives of 40 of Grace's members and I am so grateful for their generosity in sharing them.

Part Four: Granting Forgiveness & Renewing or Releasing the Relationship

Luke 19:1-10  (Zacchaeus makes restitution for sins)

(Jesus) entered Jericho and was passing through it. A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was rich. He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way. 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.” So he hurried down and was happy to welcome him. All who saw it began to grumble and said, “He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner.” Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.” Then Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.”

We are all sinners. Some people have so much and they will not share with those who do not. They do not have Jesus in their life. They have to pray to get the Lord Jesus into their life so they can give food, money, and other things. They have plenty so they should give to people who are in need.

Prayer:

Dear Lord,
Please come into the lives of people who have an excess of everything, and to help them give restitution. Grant them forgiveness to renew their faith in You.

~ Diane

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