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Fully Forgiven
Andrea Lende • January 24, 2020
Luke 19:7-9
Fully Forgiven
Daily Word:
Luke 19:7-9
"And when the people saw it, they all muttered among themselves and indignantly complained, he has gone in to be the guest of and lodge with a man who is devoted to sin and preeminently as sinner."
"So then Zacchaeus stood up and solemnly declared to the Lord, See, Lord, the half of my goods I [now] give [by way of restoration] to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone out of anything, I [now] restore four times as much."
"And Jesus said to him, Today is [Messianic and spiritual] salvation come to [all the members of] this household, since Zacchaeus too is a [real spiritual] son of Abraham."
We know this story well.
Zacchaeus couldn't see Jesus because he was too short.
He was, however, bound and determined to see (seek) Him.
So, he climbed a sycamore tree just so that he could get a glimpse of Jesus.
Jesus knew that Zacchaeus was seeking him.
He knew that it was Zacchaeus' time for salvation.
Jesus told him to come down from the tree because He would be eating at his house that evening.
Zacchaeus did exactly what Jesus told him to do.
Verse six says, "So he hurried and came down, and re received and welcomed Him joyfully."
Zacchaeus' heart was changed that evening.
Completely.
He was completely repentant.
He wanted to right his wrongs.
He gave to the poor.
He restored those whom he had cheated four times.
These are all signs of a fully repentant heart.
Jesus recognized Zacchaeus' heart had been changed too and called him, "a [real spiritual] son of Abraham".
When our hearts are truly changed as Zacchaeus' was, then we will have what Jesus came here to give us - the kingdom of God.
It will be within us.
We won't have to chase it any longer.
I desire a fully and completely changed heart.
I continue to pray that God will work on me, show me more of His ways, and put His love inside me.
Today I pray that God will continue to work on my heart so that I may be fully repentant, fully forgiven, and forever changed.
May you find that Jesus is longing to meet you where you are, and grant you all that you ask including complete and total forgiveness.
Blessings be to you!
Daily Prayer:
O Lord, my God, thank You for Your everlasting presence in my life. Thank You for not letting me go. Thank You for dropping down and lifting me up out of the dirt and mire. Thank You for loving me from the beginning and waiting for me until I can give my whole heart. Thank You for Your constant forgiveness. Please help me to give up my will continually for Your will. May Your perfect will be done in my life. Fill me with Your love, Lord. Help me love others as You them. Help me see people as You see them and fill my heart with compassion for those whom You send me to. Ready my heart, mind, and spirit for Your service. Help me do all that You have for me to do, Father. Lead and guide my every step. Keep my eyes on You all day long. Help me bless someone this day. Thank You for hearing my prayer.
Answer: I will never let you go, My child, but will be with you every moment of every day.
Response: Thank You, most gracious and Almighty Father.
We start a New Year! How exciting! Paul had just finished telling the Ephesians to put off their old nature. They had been run around by their feelings and desires. He told them to be renewed in their spirit. The Amplified Bible defines this to be “having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude.” As we say goodbye to this year, let us put on the new and leave the old behind. We have an opportunity to reflect on what to bring forward into this New Year.
This is a great message for the New Year. We can be in control of our own words. As a mother, I used to tell my children to use their words to explain what was happening in their minds. I tried to help them find the right words. Words that would help the situation and not make it worse. I must do the same thing when talking to them. It’s important to use words that do not damage their spirits. Words that lift up instead of tear down. Even though my children have grown, I still want to be careful how I speak to them because my worlds will impact them for the rest of their lives.
As we approach the New Year, it is a perfect time to take inventory of what part of our lives, our hearts, and our souls are not bearing fruit. What can we give up as this year comes to a close? What do we need to give to the Lord for His cleansing and pruning? The answers to these questions take time. Time with the Lord. We are creatures of routines and habits which serve us well. But we can also change our routines and habits to serve us and the Lord better. So, we can ask God to show us what He wants us to give up so that He can have more of us.
I cannot think of a better verse to meditate on as we approach the New Year. Jesus said, "the kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] and among you [surrounding you]." For so many years I believed I had to wait to go to heaven to experience the kingdom of God. I have longed to step into heaven and meet the Lord and His Son. However, as we read the Gospels and study Jesus and all that He said, we begin to understand the kingdom of God is all around us. The kingdom of God is within.
Paul wrote to the Colossians and told them he was praying for them. He prayed they would be refreshed, renewed, and invigorated. He also prayed they would be strengthened. May his prayer be heard by the Lord God Almighty on our behalf today just as it was received two thousand years ago. God is the Source of all things beautiful and wonderful. There is no shortage of renewal, refreshment, or inspiration in His kingdom. And as the Creator of this universe, He continues to pour all good things into His people. Paul wrote that refreshment and strength are needed so we may have endurance.
This verse is the perfect verse to reflect on as Christmas comes to a close. The Lord sent His Son to us. He sent Him to this world as a babe. Jesus was given the task of growing up. A difficult one for all of us. He endured the awkward stages we all go through as we grow past them. I look back at old picture and cringe, yes, I cringe. This life provides plenty of opportunities to feel awkward and just plain weird, but our Father loves us as though we are perfect every day of our lives. This is why Jesus came. He came to make us perfect in God’s sight.
God made Himself flesh so He could take away the sins of the world. The story of the very first Christmas was humble, yet the most powerful and loving birth ever recorded in history. All humanity changed in an instant. When Jesus was born, love filled the earth. Love came down and lifted us up. The angels came to tell the shepherds of this beautiful birth. The stars in the heavens also told the story. As we do all tasks that we do to ensure a beautiful Christmas day, may we remember the miracle that God sent long ago. The miracle of all miracles.
The first Christmas was going to be documented, so that it could be read many times over for all Christmas’ to come. It was also documented so the prophecy of the Messiah’s birth would be known to be fulfilled. Prophets of old foretold Jesus would come from the house of David. They also prophesied that He would be born in Bethlehem. And all this came to pass. Even though Jesus would be known as a Nazarene, His beginning began in Bethlehem. God’s divine plan was set in motion with the first census while Mary was at the end of her pregnancy.
What a wonderful passage to read during Christmas week. Our passage touched my heart as I read it through the lens of Jesus’ birth. “It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself.” We have so much to be thankful for in these few short words, “restoring the world to favor with Himself.” So undeserved and yet so graciously given. We are offered favor with the Lord. Imagine having favor with the almighty God, the Creator of the universe. Jesus chose to leave heaven’s door where all was perfect. He chose to be born into this dusty messy world.
Jesus had just spoken to a fig tree and deemed it unworthy to live because it had no fruit on it. His disciples were amazed when they saw the fig tree wither and die. Then the Lord talked to them about prayer and belief. He told them that whatever they asked for, if they had the faith and belief, they would receive it. I remember the day I started hearing music and lyrics. I had just bowed my head at the piano and asked if the Lord would bless praise and worship music. As soon as I prayed that prayer, the Lord bestowed the gift of song writing upon me.