Rev 3:1-6, 14-22 / Luke 19:1-10
“It does not take much strength to do things, but it requires a great deal of strength to decide what to do.”(Elbert Hubbard)
When we have already decided what to do, the strength to do it will come consequently and subsequently from the decision.
So it is actually the process in making a decision that a great deal of strength (mental strength) is called upon to decide upon a direction.
In the gospel, the wealthy senior tax collector Zacchaeus was anxious to see what kind of man Jesus was.
But he had other things to consider - he was short and the crowd may make things unpleasant for him. Nonetheless he decided to get a glimpse of Jesus, and so he climbed a sycamore tree.
That decision led to other decisions like giving half his property to the poor and if he had cheated anyone, he would pay back four time the amount.
Those were great decisions that he made willingly because he took the strength to make that first decision to see Jesus.
In the 1st reading, we heard of warnings given to the churches in Sardis and Laodicea - "Repent and wake up" and "I will spit you out of my mouth".
They will have to decide what to do from there. Of course they can decide to do nothing about it but that would lead them into even greater turmoil.
We need to pray for strength to follow Jesus. And we need to pray for even greater strength to decide for Jesus. The strength will come when the decision is made.