Scripture: Luke 19:8-9
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.”
Thought for the Day: On Wednesday evenings throughout the season of Lent, we focused our attention on story – the importance of finding, embracing and sharing our stories. I am currently working on a presentation for an event outside the church where I am talking about the power of story. The group to which I am speaking is not entirely Christian – though there is a faith/religious component to it. As I referenced in my Lenten Soup for the Soul presentation, I believe we all have a defining story(ies) that shapes our values and priorities. It isn’t simply “the Jesus story” or “the Bible” as there are a whole host of stories found within those two groupings. It is more than the pithy saying such as, “Jesus died for my sins so that I can go to heaven.” The story that defines you is where the news of Jesus of Christ’s love meets your life story through grace, forgiveness, encouragement, inspiration or friendship. Without that defining story, I believe a lot of Christians struggle when life becomes difficult. What they find is the so-called story that they thought defined their life ended up being irrelevant or disconnected from real life. Zacchaeus had heard stories of Jesus and probably could share those stories, but when Jesus truly encountered him on a personal level, everything changed. When Jesus spoke to Zacchaeus and ate dinner with him, a defining story was created through which Zacchaeus would see the world differently for the rest of his life.
Prayer: As you teach me the stories of your love, O Kind and Merciful God, may I recognize the places where the stories redefine my own stories. Provide me each day with a reminder of the places in my own life where the Gospel has become tangible and unmistakable. Amen.
SUNDAY – DON’T MISS WORSHIP
Helping to Create the Love First Life
as we work on our relationships
