Do Not Pass By

He said, “My lord, if I find favor with you, do not pass by your servant.

✙ Genesis 18:3

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We want the Lord's attention, we think. But do we really? There are reasons we hide from God:

• We think we're too deep in sin to be forgiven
• We are too fond of the sin we're neck-deep in to let it go
• We feel insignificant and unworthy of God's attention
• We're too busy with "life" to be confronted by the Author of life

Sometimes we even think we're successful. We've slipped under God's radar, we think; or maybe God really doesn't care enough to come to us.

Zacchæus was one who perhaps should have been passed over by the Lord. He certainly hadn't earned Jesus' attention: He was a traitor to his people and he cheated his neighbors out of their money. But perhaps out of curiosity, he wanted to see this Teacher and Healer who was so much holier than he was. And so he hid himself in a tree. A glimpse was all he needed as the Lord passed by. But despite the gulf that lay between Jesus and the little tax collector, the Lord stopped and invited himself into Zacchæus' life.

And his life was changed.

We may think we're hiding from God, but just as he calls us to be something better than we are, so our curiosity calls to him, revealing our inmost needs.
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When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchæus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.”

✙ Luke 19:5

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Prayer after thinking about today's devotion

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Gracious God, oil the hinges of our hearts' doors that they may swing gently and easily to welcome your coming.

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After your own thanksgivings & petitions, close with the Lord's Prayer.

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