“Living Loved” by Kaylin Parrock
Zacchaeus’ Change
Luke 19:1-5
And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature. And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.
Zacchaeus was a tax collector. The Roman Empire had imposed steep taxes on everyone. Tax collectors were some of the most unfavorable people in Israel.
Jews who chose to work for the Romans were considered turncoats. This made Zacchaeus a very unliked man. In every society, there are people who are unloved or deemed untouchable because of their behavior or lifestyle.
In spite of his disposition, Jesus loved Zacchaeus. Jesus loves you. Jesus loved the whole world enough to give His life that we may be able to go to heaven with Him one day.
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him so not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16
Zacchaeus heard that Jesus was coming through Jericho. He wanted to see what the fuss was all about. But because of his short stature, he had to climb a tree to see above the crowds.
Little did he know that he would not only meet Jesus, but Jesus would also be coming to his house. What a difference it made in his life the day he met the Saviour!
Have you met the Saviour? If so, has your faith caused a change? If not, what changes do you need to make?
I will ever be grateful for the day that Jesus entered my life and changed it forever. Thankful for His redeeming grace.
Compassion
Character Trait: Compassion
Compassion is a mixed passion, compounded of love and sorrow; sympathetic consciousness of others’ distress along with a desire to alleviate it without experiencing anything in return.
But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? 1 John 3:17
God wants us to be uniquely different from the world especially in our compassion for others. Jesus lived a life of compassion for others. He not only saw the needs of others, but also responded to their needs.
True compassion comes from being fully surrendered to the Lord. Many times the trials that we endure in our lives will spiritually strengthen us. This will help to grow our faith and allow us to help others who come behind us to go through it as well.
Additional Scripture:
Matthew 15:32, Matthew 20:34, John 13:35, 1 John 3:16-17, 1 Peter 3:8, Galatians 6:10, Jude 1:22, Luke 10:33-35, John 17:20-23, Proverbs 29:11, 1 Peter 2:21, Psalm 78:38, Psalm 86:15, Luke 15:20, Psalm 145:8, Micah 7:18-19, Matthew 9:36, Ephesians 4:32, Colossians 3:12-13
Prayer: Father, Thank you for all Your provisions in our lives. Please help us to see those around us that are in need of compassion. Help us to be an example of Your compassion that will make an eternal difference in the lives of others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Hymns of Praise:
- The Saviour Is Waiting
- He Careth For You
- Love Divine
- A Tender Heart
- Blest Be the Tie
Love
Biblical Character Trait:
Love – strong affection for another
arising out of kinship or personal
ties; unselfish loyal and benevolent
concern for the good of another
God’s love is unconditional and unselfish. Love gives not only to those who are good and kind to us but also to those who are deliberately mean to you.
John 15:13
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Additional Scripture:
1 Corinthians 13, Matthew 5:53-48, Leviticus 19:18, Deuteronomy 6:5, John 3:16, 1 Peter 4:8, Colossians 3:14, John 13:34-35, John 15:13, 1 John 4, Proverbs 10:12, Romans 12:9-10, Proverbs 17:17, Ephesians 4:2-3, Mark 12:30-31, Luke 6:27-35
Prayer: Lord, thank You for Your love for me. Help me to love others as You. If I am lacking in love toward others, please show me where I need to improve.
Help my family learn to live a life of love without expecting anything in return. Help us to demonstrate Your love to all we come in contact with.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Songs of Praise:
- Isn’t the Love of Jesus Something Wonderful?
- Jesus Loves Me
- Love Lifted Me
- My Savior’s Love
- Oh, How I Love Jesus
Abiding in Christ
I enjoy how Christ uses tangible illustrations in Scripture to helps understand what He is trying to teach us. In John 15, Christ uses the example of the relationship of the vine to the branches to portray how our relationship with Christ should be.
Our Christian life can be successful as long as we are obedient to Him. As a result of our obedience, we will be have the following fruit in our lives: we will have abiding love, full joy, love for one another, a personal relationship with Christ, exemplify the fruits of the Spirit, and have an answered prayer.
