Today's text
Luke 19:1-9
Jesus entered Jericho and was going through the town, and suddenly a man whose name was Zacchaeus made his appearance; he was one of the senior tax collectors and a wealthy man. He kept trying to see which Jesus was, but he was too sort and could not see him for the crowd; so he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus who was to pass that way. When Jesus reached the spot he looked up and spoke to him, ‘Zacchaeus, come down. Hurry, because I am to stay at your house today.’ And he hurried down and welcomed him joyfully. They all complained when they saw what was happening. ‘He has gone to stay at a sinner’s house,’ they said. But Zacchaeus stood his group and said to the Lord, ‘Look, sir, I am going to give half my property to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody I will pay him back four times to amount. And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this too is a son of Abraham; for the Son of man has come to seek out and save what was lost.
Prayer
It is hard for me to imagine that Zacchaeus was truly lost, dear Friend. The Spirit of holy desire stirred his blood, and he surrendered to that hunger which brought him to you--and you to his house.
Surely, salvation has come to him, for you ate at his table, drank from his cup. You shared fellowship with him and his beloved. But lost? His heart was near and ready for you well before your arrival, supple and eager to receive whatever you should bring. And you bring salvation, which is but another way of saying ‘you,’ for you are the full heart of the All-Loving Mystery, who has no name.
You bring the presence of the One whom we cannot speak, the One our hearts constantly desire. And in your presence, hearts overflow with generosity, not from fear of condemnation but from the nearness of overwhelming love and desire.
Bring such salvation to us this day. Come near and fill our hearts that they may spill over and water the landscapes of our lives with the generosity released by the joy of your nearness.
Pr. David L. Miller
http://prayingthemystery.blogspot.com/
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Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Today's text
Luke 19:1-6
Jesus entered Jericho and was going through the town, and suddenly a man whose name was Zacchaeus made his appearance; he was one of the senior tax collectors and a wealthy man. He kept trying to see which Jesus was, but he was too sort and could not see him for the crowd; so he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus who was to pass that way. When Jesus reached the spot he looked up and spoke to him, ‘Zacchaeus, come down. Hurry, because I am to stay at your house today.’ And he hurried down and welcomed him joyfully.
Prayer
Tell me, Jesus, does Zacchaeus remind you of anyone? Do you smile in recognition at his anxious antics? You should, my Friend, because you know well that holy and crazy desire to which he abandons himself.
I can’t get beyond the smile I see in you as you watch him. A smile of delight and divine pleasure? To be sure. But more: a smile of recognition. You know him. You know what moves him. You know the uninhibited surrender to a Spirit truly holy to whom you will give everything because nothing else much matters.
You bear and are moved by the Spirit that makes short men climb trees just to see you. Your life is totally given and utterly transparent to that Spirit of divine love and holiness. Just so, you are crazy in love with this world, willing to love it—and me—to the end of all you are.
An act of surrender? Truly. But also of mad, outrageous love that knows no satisfaction but in the presence of the beloved. So you, too, will climb your tree in utter abandonment to a world you love, and in total trust that the All Loving One is stronger than death itself.
Thank you.
May I be so given as you.
Pr. David L. Miller
Luke 19:1-6
Jesus entered Jericho and was going through the town, and suddenly a man whose name was Zacchaeus made his appearance; he was one of the senior tax collectors and a wealthy man. He kept trying to see which Jesus was, but he was too sort and could not see him for the crowd; so he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus who was to pass that way. When Jesus reached the spot he looked up and spoke to him, ‘Zacchaeus, come down. Hurry, because I am to stay at your house today.’ And he hurried down and welcomed him joyfully.
Prayer
Tell me, Jesus, does Zacchaeus remind you of anyone? Do you smile in recognition at his anxious antics? You should, my Friend, because you know well that holy and crazy desire to which he abandons himself.
I can’t get beyond the smile I see in you as you watch him. A smile of delight and divine pleasure? To be sure. But more: a smile of recognition. You know him. You know what moves him. You know the uninhibited surrender to a Spirit truly holy to whom you will give everything because nothing else much matters.
You bear and are moved by the Spirit that makes short men climb trees just to see you. Your life is totally given and utterly transparent to that Spirit of divine love and holiness. Just so, you are crazy in love with this world, willing to love it—and me—to the end of all you are.
An act of surrender? Truly. But also of mad, outrageous love that knows no satisfaction but in the presence of the beloved. So you, too, will climb your tree in utter abandonment to a world you love, and in total trust that the All Loving One is stronger than death itself.
Thank you.
May I be so given as you.
Pr. David L. Miller
Monday, November 05, 2007
Monday, November 5, 2007
Today's text
Luke 19:1-6
Jesus entered Jericho and was going through the town, and suddenly a man whose name was Zacchaeus made his appearance; he was one of the senior tax collectors and a wealthy man. He kept trying to see which Jesus was, but he was too sort and could not see him for the crowd; so he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus who was to pass that way. When Jesus reached the spot he looked up and spoke to him, ‘Zacchaeus, come down. Hurry, because I am to stay at your house today.’ And he hurried down and welcomed him joyfully.
Prayer
A smile tugs incessantly at the corners of my mouth, Jesus. Does it not mirror your own? You stop on the road to watch this little man climbing his tree to gain bird’s-eye vision of your approach. And you smile.
Your smile is silent grace, speaking louder than any words, a holy blessing on the divine craving that stirs our blood.
You delight in the transparent desire of Zacchaeus’ soul, his uninhibited hunger for your heart. Bemused, you are, at his impetuous, shameless scamper up the tree, utterly unconcerned at making a spectacle of himself.
It does not matter. All that matters is seeing you, Jesus. Swept up in the Excessive Spirit of holy craziness, Zacchaeus finally comes to his senses and knows what, no who, his heart must have.
And you smile, Jesus, at the extent to which we humans go when we see what we must have to live. We need you.
May I give myself utterly and excessively to that need this day, dear Friend? For I want to be the secret of your smile. I want you to delight in my impulsiveness, my impetuosity, my shameless scamper to stay near you. For I need you no less that this little man. And I want to see your smile raining blessing over the hunger of this heart.
Pr. David L. Miller
Luke 19:1-6
Jesus entered Jericho and was going through the town, and suddenly a man whose name was Zacchaeus made his appearance; he was one of the senior tax collectors and a wealthy man. He kept trying to see which Jesus was, but he was too sort and could not see him for the crowd; so he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus who was to pass that way. When Jesus reached the spot he looked up and spoke to him, ‘Zacchaeus, come down. Hurry, because I am to stay at your house today.’ And he hurried down and welcomed him joyfully.
Prayer
A smile tugs incessantly at the corners of my mouth, Jesus. Does it not mirror your own? You stop on the road to watch this little man climbing his tree to gain bird’s-eye vision of your approach. And you smile.
Your smile is silent grace, speaking louder than any words, a holy blessing on the divine craving that stirs our blood.
You delight in the transparent desire of Zacchaeus’ soul, his uninhibited hunger for your heart. Bemused, you are, at his impetuous, shameless scamper up the tree, utterly unconcerned at making a spectacle of himself.
It does not matter. All that matters is seeing you, Jesus. Swept up in the Excessive Spirit of holy craziness, Zacchaeus finally comes to his senses and knows what, no who, his heart must have.
And you smile, Jesus, at the extent to which we humans go when we see what we must have to live. We need you.
May I give myself utterly and excessively to that need this day, dear Friend? For I want to be the secret of your smile. I want you to delight in my impulsiveness, my impetuosity, my shameless scamper to stay near you. For I need you no less that this little man. And I want to see your smile raining blessing over the hunger of this heart.
Pr. David L. Miller
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