Here is Pastor
Karen's devotion today:
Good morning!
Does today just seem like an ordinary day to you? Are you doing everything you normally do? Are things going as you expected them to go when you woke up this morning?
That might have been what Levi was thinking as he sat as his tax booth in our gospel reading today. Levi was doing what he did every day—collecting taxes. Some for the Empire. S
Good morning!
Does today just seem like an ordinary day to you? Are you doing everything you normally do? Are things going as you expected them to go when you woke up this morning?
That might have been what Levi was thinking as he sat as his tax booth in our gospel reading today. Levi was doing what he did every day—collecting taxes. Some for the Empire. S
ome for himself. Some
more for Caesar. And some more for himself.
Tax collectors were notoriously corrupt. The worst thing about them is that they were Jewish people stealing from their Jewish neighbors and family members. Think how the Jewish people must have despised those tax collectors – taking their money to give to the Empire that provided scant services or benefits for them. Taking their money to line their own pockets and “get fat” off the poor!
The Pharisees and scribes saw tax collectors as “unclean”—morally impure. Associating with tax collectors was like eating with criminals and adulterers. A “good” person just did not do this—or else they would be viewed as criminals and adulterers, too.
Then one day, Jesus passes Levi’s tax booth and says, “Come on! Follow me.”
And immediately “Levi got up, left everything, and followed him.” He didn’t ask any questions or need any time to think about walking away from his lucrative position to be a poor, wandering following of Jesus.
Talk about a total life change!
And even more amazing, perhaps, to the Jewish authorities is that Jesus wanted the tax collector to follow him. He didn’t hesitate to associate with and eat with tax collectors, women of the night, sick people, and criminals—all of whom were outcasts from the community.
Who would Jesus be eating dinner with today? Anyone with a heart to follow Him as He served and obeyed His Heavenly Father.
Who are you eating dinner with today? Have you thought about inviting someone over to your house for a meal whom you have never invited before? Reaching out to someone who is lonely and friendless, someone who is struggling? How about inviting someone who may have made some serious mistakes in the past, but needs to know that God loves them and has made a way for their sins to be forgiven?
With Jesus, we have more than second chances! We fall down every day and every time we call out his name and seek His forgiveness, He picks us right up again. And He turns us into the direction He wants us to go, if we ask Him to show us His way.
Are you ready for Jesus to stop by your work or home today and interrupt your routine?
Get ready for Jesus to say to you, “Come on! Follow me!”
Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, please forgive us for when we are caught up in our routines and we stop noticing the people who are lonely, friendless, or suffering. Open our eyes to the needs of others as we go about our days. Help us to be more flexible about our schedules and allow space for Jesus to come and “interrupt”—and call us to do His work at a moment’s notice. Empower us to be Christ’s loving and peaceful presence for those whom society has marginalized and forgotten. Thank you for offering the world forgiveness through Your Son. In His name we pray. Amen!
Today’s readings are Hosea 4:11-19; Acts 21:15-26; Luke 5:27-39; and Psalms 101 and 109:1-30.
Blessings in Christ!
Pastor Karen
Tax collectors were notoriously corrupt. The worst thing about them is that they were Jewish people stealing from their Jewish neighbors and family members. Think how the Jewish people must have despised those tax collectors – taking their money to give to the Empire that provided scant services or benefits for them. Taking their money to line their own pockets and “get fat” off the poor!
The Pharisees and scribes saw tax collectors as “unclean”—morally impure. Associating with tax collectors was like eating with criminals and adulterers. A “good” person just did not do this—or else they would be viewed as criminals and adulterers, too.
Then one day, Jesus passes Levi’s tax booth and says, “Come on! Follow me.”
And immediately “Levi got up, left everything, and followed him.” He didn’t ask any questions or need any time to think about walking away from his lucrative position to be a poor, wandering following of Jesus.
Talk about a total life change!
And even more amazing, perhaps, to the Jewish authorities is that Jesus wanted the tax collector to follow him. He didn’t hesitate to associate with and eat with tax collectors, women of the night, sick people, and criminals—all of whom were outcasts from the community.
Who would Jesus be eating dinner with today? Anyone with a heart to follow Him as He served and obeyed His Heavenly Father.
Who are you eating dinner with today? Have you thought about inviting someone over to your house for a meal whom you have never invited before? Reaching out to someone who is lonely and friendless, someone who is struggling? How about inviting someone who may have made some serious mistakes in the past, but needs to know that God loves them and has made a way for their sins to be forgiven?
With Jesus, we have more than second chances! We fall down every day and every time we call out his name and seek His forgiveness, He picks us right up again. And He turns us into the direction He wants us to go, if we ask Him to show us His way.
Are you ready for Jesus to stop by your work or home today and interrupt your routine?
Get ready for Jesus to say to you, “Come on! Follow me!”
Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, please forgive us for when we are caught up in our routines and we stop noticing the people who are lonely, friendless, or suffering. Open our eyes to the needs of others as we go about our days. Help us to be more flexible about our schedules and allow space for Jesus to come and “interrupt”—and call us to do His work at a moment’s notice. Empower us to be Christ’s loving and peaceful presence for those whom society has marginalized and forgotten. Thank you for offering the world forgiveness through Your Son. In His name we pray. Amen!
Today’s readings are Hosea 4:11-19; Acts 21:15-26; Luke 5:27-39; and Psalms 101 and 109:1-30.
Blessings in Christ!
Pastor Karen
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