January 12, 2012 - How Well Do I Know Me?

"There's no one righteous, not even one;" 

Romans 3:10

"So I find this law at work:  

When I want to do good, evil is right there with me.  

For in my inner being I delight in God's law;  

but I see another law at work in the members of my body, 

waging war against the law of my mind and 

making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members." 

(the Apostle Paul, Romans 7:21-23

     The rich young ruler came to Jesus confident in his social standing, his wealth, in what he had accomplished morally, and in his spiritual intentions. Jesus knew him better than he knew himself and called on him to give up the one thing that kept him a nameless young rich man instead of a great spiritual leader whose name appears in the Book of Life.  

     Zacchaeus, that little scoundrel of a tax collector, climbed a tree to see Jesus, never calling out to Him or thinking he, condemned and outcast as a greedy traitor by his people, would draw the attention of the Savior.  However, when Jesus looked up into that sycamore tree, He saw a heart ready to respond to Salvation. Jesus didn't tell Zacchaeus to let go of the wealth that was his god, but Zacchaeus felt his spiritual poverty more keenly than the morally upright young ruler and knew exactly how he needed to respond to Jesus' Presence.  

"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.'" 

Matthew 19:8

     The rich young ruler thought he knew himself and came to Jesus looking for a specific answer to a specific question, but Zacchaeus let Jesus' character show him what he needed to do.  Are we more in the habit of coming to Jesus in our self-righteousness for specific answers to specific questions and needs, or do we find our answers by accepting His invitation to spend time with Him? 

"We have to get rid of the idea that we understand ourselves, 

it is the last conceit to go."  

Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest

     Lord, You changed people no one thought would change, but those who didn't think they needed to change stayed stuck in their same sins.  Today, we come to You to know You better and let Your Love, kindness, goodness, power, forgiveness, and peace direct us in what we need to do in Your Name today.  Open the ears of our hearts to hear You. Free our feet from shackles that keep us from following through.  Change the areas in us we've given up on changing.  Nothing is impossible for You.
In the Name of Jesus, Whose Presence causes a commotion of conviction