Today’s Reading: Luke 19:1-36
In the case of Zacchaeus, Jesus needed a house to stay at. In the parable, He needed people to invest His resources by doing business/work with them. From another, He needed donkeys.
What do you possess that “the Lord has need of?”
Because we know “The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it, the world and all who live in it” Psalm 24:1, we naturally and rightly assume He needs nothing from us. In fact, because He does not need us to fill any personal need, He is the safest and most trustworthy relationship we could have. He always gives and we constantly receive His grace and generosity.
But- have you ever considered that He chose to make Himself needy, in order to reveal to us how needy we are, and to teach us that to have a need is not necessarily sinful, and to teach us to meet the needs of others? His allowing us to meet a need gives us opportunity to resemble Him… to demonstrate to the world that He is “meeter of need” often through us. Jesus allowed Himself to have his diaper changed, He allowed people to cook for Him, He allowed a woman to wash His feet with her tears and hair, He allowed people to assist Him, He allowed people to financially support His work, He allowed them to meet the needs of the world with Him. Not because He needed their help, but because they needed to learn His character, and what it looked and felt like to worship Him. We serve God when we serve people in His name and in His love. He associates Himself with the lowliest of people, the most needy- when we see people suffer or need, we see the need and suffering of Christ, Himself. And when we offer a resource or ability that meets that need, or lifts the burden of that suffering, we are ministering to Christ.
We can never out-give God. He is indebted to no one. There is always a reward when we meet even the smallest need on His behalf. “Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward.” Mark 9: 41
It’s easy to look at what we have and to think it is of no value to God. Kings usually rode through town on majestic horses, not donkeys. Those who owned them could have said, “no, don’t use these, they aren’t near good enough for the Messiah! Joe down the road has really nice horses, God wouldn’t be caught dead on my little donkeys!” But there is purpose in every gift God has given us. Every strength, every material resource, every passion and talent becomes holy and miraculous when put into His hands. He needed even those seemingly insignificant donkeys to declare to the world that He was unlike any earthly king, He is humble and gentle and lowly. So he needed a humble and lowly gift.
“Be all for Jesus and refuse Him nothing” was Mother Teresa’s mantra. Christ’s was to be all for His Father and He refused Him nothing.
We can do the same. Not despising even small requests and offerings to others for the sake of His name and reputation.
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Is there a need around you that God has made known to you?
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Is there a resource or talent you possess that could meet that need?
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What do you have that you are sometimes ashamed to offer because it feels so insignificant or below God's use? That feeling is often a lie from the enemy to keep us from offering what is actually most valuable to God.
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How has God ever rewarded you for offering Him something?