Limitless Love 1.18.25

January 19th, 2026

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT

Most people in Levi’s town avoided him at all costs. He was a tax collector—corrupt, dishonest, and despised. If you saw him at the market, you crossed the street. If you spotted him by the lake, you looked the other way. Levi represented everything people hated about injustice, greed, and broken systems.

But Jesus didn’t avoid him.

As Jesus walked by the lakeside with a crowd following Him, He did something no one expected. He stopped. He looked directly at Levi. And with a single sentence, He changed everything: “Follow Me.”

Levi didn’t argue. He didn’t negotiate. He didn’t ask for time to clean up his life first. Scripture says he got up, left everything, and followed Jesus. The man everyone else wrote off immediately responded to grace.

That’s the heart of this story: Jesus doesn’t wait for people to be acceptable before He calls them—He calls them so they can be changed.

What’s even more striking is what Levi does next. He throws a party. Not a religious gathering. Not a quiet Bible study. A celebration filled with the same people he used to run with—tax collectors, sinners, and outcasts. Levi wanted everyone to meet the Jesus who met him right where he was. And Jesus showed up as the guest of honor.

Predictably, the religious leaders were offended. They questioned why Jesus would associate with people like that. But Jesus made His mission unmistakably clear:
“It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

So now we face the hard questions:
Who do we avoid?
Who makes us uncomfortable?
Who do we assume Jesus wouldn’t call?

Sometimes we don’t realize it, but when we walk past people Jesus wants to reach, we’re walking past Jesus Himself.

Levi’s story also reminds us that calling doesn’t always mean church ministry—it means obedience. Jesus calls mechanics, teachers, nurses, parents, students, artists, and yes, even tax collectors. Your workplace, school, and family are mission fields. Your story matters more than your past.

Levi eventually became Matthew—the author of a Gospel read all over the world. God took the most hated man in town and used him to tell the greatest story ever told.
And He’s still doing that today.

If you feel a tug in your heart—toward a new step of faith, a change in direction, a conversation you’ve been avoiding—that may be Jesus stopping in your path and saying the same words He spoke to Levi: “Follow Me.”
The question is not whether He’s calling.
The question is how you’ll respond.

REFLECT |

Who am I tempted to avoid that Jesus might be calling me to see differently?
What is something Jesus may be asking me to leave behind in order to follow Him more fully?
Where has God placed me right now to live out my calling?

BIBLE VERSES

Key Verses are denoted with an *

DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DAY 1 | THE UNEXPECTED STOP

Picture the scene: crowds are following Jesus along the lakeshore, and there sits Levi in his tax booth - the most despised man in town. Everyone else would have walked past, heads down, avoiding eye contact. But Jesus did something radical. He stopped. He looked directly at this corrupt tax collector and spoke two simple words that would change everything: 'Follow me.' What strikes me most about this moment is that Jesus didn't wait for Levi to clean up his act first. He didn't require a background check or a character reference. He simply saw potential where others saw only problems. Sometimes we think we need to have our lives perfectly together before God can use us, but that's not how His calling works. Jesus sees beyond our current circumstances to who we can become. He stops for the overlooked, the rejected, and the broken. Today, remember that no matter where you find yourself - whether you're successful but empty like Levi, or struggling with mistakes and regrets - Jesus is still stopping for you. His call isn't based on your performance but on His love.

BIBLE VERSE |
'As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector's booth. "Follow me," Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him.' - Mark 2:14

REFLECTION QUESTION |
What areas of your life do you feel make you 'unworthy' of Jesus's attention, and how might His willingness to stop for Levi change your perspective on His love for you?

QUOTE |
"Jesus walks by Levi and he doesn't put his head down and just keep walking. Scripture says that he stops. He looks at Levi and he says this word. He says, 'follow me.'"

PRAYER |
Jesus, thank You for stopping for me just as You stopped for Levi. Help me to see myself through Your eyes of love and grace, not through the lens of my failures or the judgment of others. Give me the confidence to know that You call me not because I'm perfect, but because You love me perfectly. Amen.

DAY 2 | THE IMMEDIATE YES

Levi's response to Jesus's call was nothing short of extraordinary. Without asking questions, without negotiating terms, without even knowing where this journey would lead, he immediately left everything and followed. This wasn't just leaving a job - Levi walked away from financial security, social status (even if negative), and everything familiar. His response teaches us something profound about faith: sometimes obedience comes before understanding. We often want to know the full plan before we say yes to God, but Levi shows us that trust can precede clarity. His immediate response wasn't reckless; it was recognition. Something in Jesus's voice, His presence, His authority, spoke to Levi's heart in a way that made following Him the only logical choice. When God calls us - whether to a new direction, a difficult conversation, or a step of faith - He's not asking us to have all the answers. He's asking us to trust Him with the questions. Levi's story reminds us that the most life-changing moments often require us to say yes before we fully understand what we're saying yes to.

BIBLE VERSE |
'As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector's booth. "Follow me," Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him.' - Mark 2:14

REFLECTION QUESTION |
Who in your life needs to meet Jesus, and how can you create opportunities to introduce them to Him in a natural, welcoming environment?

QUOTE |
"Christ is his guest of honor, and he wants everybody to know him. Levi wants everybody to know who Jesus is."

PRAYER |
Father, help me to have Levi's heart for celebration and evangelism. Give me wisdom to know how to share Your love with those around me who don't know You yet. Help me to create spaces where people feel welcomed and valued, and where they can encounter Your grace through my life. Amen.

DAY 3 | THE CELEBRATION PARTY

After leaving everything to follow Jesus, Levi did something beautiful - he threw a party. But this wasn't just any celebration; it was a strategic gathering. He invited all his friends, the people society had written off: tax collectors, prostitutes, and sinners. And he made Jesus the guest of honor. Levi understood something we sometimes miss: when Jesus transforms your life, it's worth celebrating, and it's worth sharing. His party wasn't about showing off his new religious status; it was about introducing his friends to the One who had changed everything for him. Notice that Levi didn't abandon his old relationships - he leveraged them for the kingdom. He knew these people needed Jesus just as much as he had. This challenges us to think differently about our own circles of influence. Instead of distancing ourselves from non-believers after we encounter Jesus, we should be drawing them closer to Him through authentic relationships. Levi's celebration reminds us that the Gospel is good news worth sharing, and sometimes the best evangelism happens around a dinner table with people who feel welcomed and valued.

BIBLE VERSE |
'While Jesus was having dinner at Levi's house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him.' - Mark 2:15

REFLECTION QUESTION |
Who in your life needs to meet Jesus, and how can you create opportunities to introduce them to Him in a natural, welcoming environment?

QUOTE |
"Christ is his guest of honor, and he wants everybody to know him. Levi wants everybody to know who Jesus is.

PRAYER |
Father, help me to have Levi's heart for celebration and evangelism. Give me wisdom to know how to share Your love with those around me who don't know You yet. Help me to create spaces where people feel welcomed and valued, and where they can encounter Your grace through my life. Amen.

DAY 4 | THE DOCTOR'S MISSION

When religious leaders criticized Jesus for eating with tax collectors and sinners, His response revealed the heart of His mission: 'It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.' This wasn't Jesus being sarcastic about the Pharisees' righteousness; He was making a profound point about recognition of need. The people at Levi's party knew they were broken. They didn't pretend to have it all together. The tax collectors knew they were corrupt, the sinners knew they had fallen short, and that recognition made them open to healing. The religious leaders, however, had convinced themselves they were already healthy and therefore saw no need for the Great Physician. Jesus came for people who know they need help - and that includes all of us. The beautiful truth is that admitting our need doesn't disqualify us from God's love; it positions us to receive it. When we stop pretending we're fine and acknowledge our brokenness, we create space for Jesus to work. His love isn't reserved for the perfect; it's poured out for the desperate, the struggling, and the honest about their condition.

BIBLE VERSE |
'On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."' - Mark 2:17

REFLECTION QUESTION |
In what areas of your life do you need to stop pretending you're 'healthy' and instead invite Jesus to be your healer and physician?

QUOTE |
"It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but it is the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but the sinner."

PRAYER |
Jesus, thank You for being the Great Physician who came for people like me. Help me to be honest about my brokenness and need for You. Give me the humility to admit when I'm struggling and the faith to believe that You can heal and restore every area of my life. Amen.

DAY 5 | YOUR NEW NAME

The most remarkable part of Levi's story isn't just that Jesus called him - it's what happened next. This despised tax collector became Matthew, one of the four Gospel writers. The man everyone hated became the author of the first book in the New Testament, the bridge between the Old and New Covenants. God didn't just save Levi; He transformed him into someone with a completely new identity and purpose. This transformation reminds us that God specializes in giving people new names, new identities, and new purposes. When Jesus calls you, He's not just inviting you to follow Him; He's inviting you into a completely new story. Your past doesn't define your future when you're in God's hands. The same God who turned Levi the corrupt tax collector into Matthew the Gospel writer can take your broken pieces and create something beautiful. Maybe you've been defined by your mistakes, your background, or what others think of you. But God has a new name for you: beloved child, chosen one, His masterpiece. The question isn't whether God can use someone like you - Levi's story proves He can. The question is whether you'll say yes to His call and step into the new identity He has waiting for you.

BIBLE VERSE |
'When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: "Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?"' - Mark 2:16

REFLECTION QUESTION |
What 'new name' or identity do you sense God calling you into, and what old labels or limitations do you need to leave behind to embrace it fully?

QUOTE |
"God has given you a new name, and that's a child of God. You are a child of his."

PRAYER |
Heavenly Father, thank You for seeing not just who I am, but who I can become in You. Help me to release the old labels and limitations that have defined me and step boldly into the new identity You have for me. Use my story, just like You used Levi's, to bring glory to Your name and hope to others. Amen.

ACTION STEP

This week, intentionally reach out to someone in your life who might be considered an 'outsider' or someone you normally wouldn't spend time with. Invite them for coffee, a meal, or simply have a genuine conversation. Look for opportunities to show Christ's love without judgment, just as Jesus did with Levi and the people at his party.

PRAYER

Lord Jesus, thank You for calling each of us just as You called Levi. Help us to have the same immediate obedience and excitement that he showed when You call us to step out in faith. Give us courage to reach out to those who are different from us, to celebrate what You're doing in our lives, and to remember that Your love is truly limitless. Help us to be people who bring others to You rather than pushing them away. We pray that we would hear Your voice clearly this week and respond with willing hearts. Thank You for choosing us and for always being on time in our lives. In Your precious name, Amen.

BIBLE APP PLANS

Evangelism: Follow Jesus
5 Days – Infinitum
Infinitum is a way of life centered on following Jesus by loving God and loving others through an emphasis on the habits and disciplines of surrender, generosity, and mission. We aim to see the Bible and also the world through these Jesus-colored lenses. This five day series is looking at evangelism through the Infinitum Vision: Follow Jesus.

Called To Mission
7 Days – Church in the Wild
We were all called to live on mission. When God calls us to something, there tends to be an internal process that we all go through – discovery, response, acceptance, trust, safety, discomfort, and confidence. Together, we'll walk through each step of the process and explore how God can use our "ordinary, mundane" lives for purpose that extends past ourselves...

Called Out: Living the Mission (Youth)
5 Days – Union of Evangelical Students

You weren’t saved to sit still. You were called out to stand up, speak truth, and live boldly for Christ. This 5-day devotional will help you discover your place in God's global plan—right from your classroom, hostel, or canteen. Learn how to be a witness in word, lifestyle, and love. Mission begins where your feet are.