Press the arrow to listen to Steven Curtis Chapman sing “Yours” as you read today’s devotion.

Scripture
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.” Luke 19:2-9

Observation
Importance is what we all long for, especially people like Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus was clever enough to compensate for his shortness. Taller people had brushed him off, so it was no problem for him to rip them off.  He would become rich, if by extortion and he would be looked up to if it was with stolen riches. But no matter how high the stilts of success Zacchaeus strutted on, he never felt tall enough.

News had come to him through the Fraternal Order of Tax Collectors of the kindness of Jesus to their profession. When Jesus came to visit his town, Zacchaeus just had to see this kind Rabbi for himself. But in the crowd Zacchaeus felt again the painful truth that he just didn’t measure up. No one liked the little pest. No matter how much money he had he could neither grow taller nor beg his way to the front line.  So Zacchaeus went out on a limb. He reached higher than he had ever done in his life. We’re supposed to laugh at the picture of an IRS man sitting in a tree in a blue, pin-striped suit with his wing-tipped Oxfords dangling over the branch.

Jesus offered Zacchaeus the gift of significance. The Master picked one face out of the crowd and asked to go out to lunch with him. For the first time in his life, someone important wanted Zacchaeus’ home and not just his tax office. That gift of recognition gave Zacchaeus space to repent. The desire for repentance had been in Zacchaeus’ heart, but it was Jesus’ kind notice of a disliked man that made it possible.

Application
There are many people I pass by in a given day who have climbed trees at the extremity of their desire to be important. To most they seem off putting. By being ignored their sin problem only grows worse. But the choice to acknowledge and to include them may be the very thing to change their hearts. Often those who seem to have things together, really don’t. They are waiting for someone to be genuine with them. Acceptance will bring them out of their tree of self-importance and bring them to level ground.

Prayer
Father, as I read this story, I reflect that Jesus works the same today. He ignored the crowd to help one person who everyone else had written off. Help me to have peripheral vision like Jesus to see Zacchaeus in a tree beside the road. Help me to go out on a limb to rescue them from self-importance with including love. Amen.

Press the arrow to listen to Third Day sing “Run to You” while reading today’s devotion about disappointment. The lyrics tell Jacob’s story.

Scripture
When morning came, there was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? I served you for Rachel, didn’t I? Why have you deceived me?” Genesis 29:25

Observation
Jacob was a fine one to ask why someone had deceived him. After all, his name meant “swindler” and he had just cheated his brother out of a lifetime of happiness.

But Jacob didn’t see that dark side of his life yet. That insight would come later, after more crippling injustice. At that early point in his life, Jacob saw himself as the centre of things. In his mind, he was special and any inconvenience was unfair treatment for one who deserved better things.

Jacob could argue that he had prayed at the start of his journey for God to be with him. And if he prayed, shouldn’t that mean that all would go well for him? The answer was an obvious, “No!” We are often victims of our ideals when we pray. It is not just that we experience injustice and disappointment but that we had expected better treatment.

In his message yesterday, Pastor Brady asked us, “Can God answer our prayers with disappointment in order to lead us to greater things?” The answer of course is yes. Prayer is all about leading us out of our perspective and into God’s point of view through the doorway of disappointment. Jacob’s scheming and conniving would be confronted until we last see him as an old limping man crossing his arms to bless his grandsons. Prayer, disappointment and blessing changed him for the better.

Application
Like Jacob, I’m often surprised when God answers my prayers with disappointment. I too am proud like Jacob and expect preferential treatment. But the hope is that this disappointment will lead to greater things. Through the doorway of disillusionment, I can find an outlook on God’s view. Life is ever so much better from that vantage point. I must brave disappointment when it comes and with a game face press through to better things on the other side. For surely better things are there. I have only to limp on. It is only when I get over the sense of specialness and welcome disappointment that I can receive the undeserved kindnesses of God.

Prayer
Father, there is ever so much in my life that I need to have reinterpreted by you to me. Make doorways of my disappointments and show me better things that are yet to be. Help me not to be surprised by injustice. Let my faith in you be strong enough to see that you may offend me to bless me. I receive that. Amen.

Press the arrow to listen to Nicole Mullen sing “My Redeemer Lives” while reading today’s devotion.

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Scripture
At daybreak Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them. But he said, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.” Luke 4:42-43

Observation
Jesus had lived a busy day, with many people, too many invitations and constant conversation. But behind all the voices there was a background hum of another voice speaking to him. Like the electronic noises of stereo speakers that are heard only in the silence between songs on a CD, in the same way, during little gaps of conversation, Jesus could detect his Father’s voice speaking to him. The message was unclear, but the voice was unmistakable.

He stayed with the party, but after he was refreshed with a night’s sleep and there was the early morning space from people, Jesus took time alone and remote to hear the voice speak again. This time the message was as clear as the sound of the voice. There were orders waiting for him to go on to other towns.

Application
In any given day, in the midst of buoyant conversations, I sense a voice calling me aside with thoughts other than everyone else is sharing. I can ignore those nudges, but always to my own hurt. Eventually the voice that I hear in a whisper will be plain for all to hear. Out of love, the Father shares it with me with enough advance notice for it to be helpful. Whenever I sense an echo, I need to trace it to the source and listen for details.

Prayer
Father, there are things I’m sensing right now that you are speaking to me. In the gaps between conversations I sense the voice speaking. So in the silent place I listen, for there are other villages, other opportunities that can be missed if I do not. Amen.