“So Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram named his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. Abramwas eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.”— Genesis 16:15–16 (NKJV) The Long Wait and the Quiet TemptationAt the close of Genesis 16, roughly a year passes between the tension of verse one and thebirth of Ishmael. In...Read More

“Now as they heard these things, He spoke another parable, because He was near Jerusalem and because they thought the kingdom of God would appear immediately.” Luke 19:11 NKJV In the verses leading up to this moment, we saw Jesus proclaim that He came “to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10)....Read More

“Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, ‘Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.’”— Luke 19:8 (NKJV) When Zacchaeus encountered Jesus, something remarkable happened—his heart shifted. The man who once clung to wealth as his security...Read More

Genesis 16:1 — A Legacy of Trust Over Initiative “Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. And she had an Egyptian maidservant whose name was Hagar.” — Genesis 16:1 (NKJV) The story opens with quiet tension. Despite the grandeur of God’s promises in Genesis 15, chapter 16 begins with silence—no movement, no change....Read More

“So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house.’”—Luke 19:4-5 NKJV...Read More

“Then Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.”Luke 19:1 NKJV Luke’s mention of Jericho is more than a passing detail. Jericho was the gateway to Jerusalem—the place where Jesus would accomplish His destiny on the cross. It was also the first city conquered by Israel on their way to inherit the land promised to Abram:“On the...Read More

“So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully.”Luke 19:6 NKJV In the verses just before this, we saw Zacchaeus climb a sycamore tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus passing through Jericho (Luke 19:4–5). His climb was more than a physical act—it represented a searching heart, one willing to take undignified steps...Read More

“So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully.”— Luke 19:6 NKJV “But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, ‘He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner.’”— Luke 19:7 NKJV In our last reflection, we considered the joyful response of Zacchaeus as he hurried down...Read More

“Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, for he was of short stature.”Luke 19:2-3 NKJV As Jesus traveled through Jericho—a city that signified the shift from promise to possession—we...Read More