Devotion - Wednesday, October 16

Matthew 9 contains the invitation to Matthew, the tax collector, to follow Jesus.  This invitation, extended from Jesus, causes a negative reaction among the righteous folks (the Pharisees.)  "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" they ask Jesus' disciples.

We cannot repeat enough the phrase seen on church yard signs:  "We do not insist upon change so that God might love them; we love them so that God might change them."

"While we were yet sinners, God loved us."  God's love is not a reward for good behavior or right beliefs.  God's love is God's gift to us.

That kind of love does change us.  Or has the potential to change us.  Some will snatch that love and fail to return to give thanks for it.  But such behaviors do not deter God's determination to communicate the depth of his love toward us.  Such behaviors should not alter our clear throated proclamation of the unconditionally of God's love.