Devotional Guide, Today’s Reading – Monday, October 4, 2021

Theme: PRECEPTS FROM THE LORD JESUS CHRIST

Text: “And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” – Luke 19:9, 10.

Comment:  As Jesus was passing through Jericho, Zacchaeus, who apparently, had been longing to see Jesus, was determined not to miss this opportunity that offered itself.  He therefore climbed a Sycamore tree to see him. Being a man who was directed by the spirit of God, Jesus asked him to make haste, and come down, saying that he would be his guest that day. This brought no small joy to him. Zacchaeus was a social outcast because of the nature of his job. He had amassed wealth by means which his conscience told him were wrong. Jesus observing his faith ignored local prejudices to visit his house and to open the door of salvation to him.   Zacchaeus voluntarily offered to give half of his goods to the poor and to refund four-fold anything he had taken from another by false accusation. (Luke 19:8) The ways of God are not the ways of men. It is not for human beings to judge who can or should serve God. He is willing to forgive the sinner who is sincerely repentant and grant such one salvation. “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me” declared our Saviour, “and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” – John 6:37. Compare Ezekiel 18:23.