[Friday's Devotional] - The Untouchables: A Chief Tax Collector

The Untouchables: A Chief Tax Collector

‘But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord ‘look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount’. Jesus said to him ‘Today salvation has come to this house…’’
Luke 19:8 [NIV]

The crowd saw Zacchaeus as a sinner, he was hated because he had cheated and stolen their money.  He oozed a persona of corruption and lies.  How could Jesus associate, let alone dine with such a man?   If you have time, you can read the whole story here.

Jesus saw the potential in this man, he saw what he could become, he just needed to be freed from this destructive way of living.  This is exactly what Jesus did, He brought about an inward change in Zacchaeus that led to outward action.  He was transformed through the power and healing of Jesus.  What a witness to those who knew him and his reputation. Jesus knew what He was doing.  What love!  What acceptance! 

We may not all have experienced such a dramatic transformation, but God calls us to give our lives to Him daily so that He can help us to be transformed more into His likeness and seek to think and act as He would.  Out of this we, like Zacchaeus, can share Gods love in all that we do and say.  God sees our potential and with His help we really can be the person God has created us to be.

Prayer – Precious Father, thank you that you always see my potential.  Help me today to be transformed into your likeness. Amen

Heidi Timms

[Thursday's Devotional] - The Untouchables: A blind beggar

The Untouchables: A blind beggar

‘He called out, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’ Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, ‘Son of David have mercy on me!’’ Luke 18: 38-39 [NIV]

To be a beggar meant to lose dignity and pride, yet to be a blind beggar had even more stigma. In Jesus’ time there was no medical aid and people tended to ignore their obligation to care for the needy.

Yet along came Jesus, full of compassion, hope and love, intent on the changing the hearts of those around Him to show care for the untouchables of society.  If you have time to read the whole story, you can read it here.

The blind beggar could not see Jesus but he could feel His presence and power. Against the rebukes and being told to be silent, he persists and insists on pleading for Jesus’ attention and mercy. He did not presume that Jesus would come but he knew who He really was. Jesus loved his faith and restored his sight and life to him.

We may feel at times rebuked by others, but if we keep persisting in seeking Jesus, He will help us and in helping us we can share His love and compassion with those in need around us.

Prayer – Lord Jesus, may I show your love and compassion on others today, as you lavish your love and compassion on me.  Amen

Heidi Timms

[Wednesday's Devotional] - The Untouchables: Ten men with Leprosy

The Untouchables: Ten men with Leprosy

‘One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him and he was a Samaritan’. (verse 15-16)

Having leprosy meant alienation, rejection and abandonment, all negative and hurtful feelings. Jesus saw these ten men and saw their plight, yet He also saw their faith and told them to go and show themselves to the priest. Their act of obedience led to their complete healing.

The story doesn’t end there, because one man came back to Jesus to say thank you and praise God. This man realised that Jesus was the Son of God and knew the power and acceptance in His healing. Not only did he have leprosy but he was a Samaritan too, a hated race by the Jews.  If you have time you can read the whole passage here.

What love and care Jesus radiated, and how His heart must of rejoiced at this man’s thankfulness. God loves it when we show that same thankful heart and give God the glory for all the things He does in our lives. Freely we can come before Him and say thank you for the grace and mercy He gives to us.

Prayer – Lord, thank you for all that you have done for me. May I see things as you see things today and create in me a thankful and praising heart.  Amen

HeidiTimms

[Tuesday's Devotional] - The Untouchables: A man with dropsy

The Untouchables: A man with dropsy

‘There in front of him was a man suffering from dropsy. Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts in the law, ‘Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?’ but they remained silent. So taking hold of the man, he healed him and sent him away’.  Luke 14: 2-4 [NIV]

When Luke wrote about this healing, his attention to detail as a doctor was clear. The man whom Jesus healed was suffering from a condition that caused the body to swell through excess fluid, so he probably would have looked disfigured as he stood before Jesus. He certainly would have been looked down upon by the Pharisees.

It is not clear whether the man had asked for healing, but Jesus could see right into the man’s heart anyway.  Jesus showed that by healing on the Sabbath, that He placed this man’s needs and healing before the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and teachers of the law.

Jesus stood up for the man, and He stands up for us now. We matter to Him, He longs to bring us close to Him and touch us in the same way He touched the man with dropsy.  God will go above and beyond to stand up for us, if we let Him.  Are you willing to stand in front of God today and receive the fullness of His touch.

Prayer – Father, thank you that you are always on my side. Help me to know your loving touch today in all I do.  Amen

Heidi Timms

[Monday's Devotional] - The Untouchables: A sinful Woman

The Untouchables: A sinful Woman

‘When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisees house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them’. Luke 7:37 [NIV]

What boldness and courage this woman had, knowing that as she entered the room, she would be fixed with accusing and scornful eyes. So why did she dare to approach Jesus, the Son of God? She knew that she was completely loved, accepted and forgiven by Jesus, and she felt free to lavish Jesus with her love by constantly kissing, wiping her tears and pouring expensive perfume on His feet.

Do you know that God completely loves, accepts and forgives you too?

Sometimes it is hard for us to understand the depth of love that God has for us. It is easy to feel ‘not good enough’ or even ‘unlovable’, but God just wants to lavish us with His love and He longs to have our attention and devotion too. By giving God our time, our mind and our heart, we are showing God that He is the number one priority in our life and expressing that same love that the woman expressed through anointing Jesus’ feet.

Prayer – Heavenly Father, help me to know your love, acceptance and forgiveness today. May I seek to know you better and love you from the depths of my heart.  Amen

HeidiTimms