Luke 19 records the true story of a short statured, rich and sinful tax collector named Zacchaeus who ran ahead and climbed up a Sycomore tree (IRS guy up the tree) so that he could see Jesus. When Jesus passed by, He told Zacchaeus to come down, to come down quickly (in haste) for Jesus said that he must abide in Zacchaeus’ home.
Some of us may be familiar with this account, but by a mere cursorial review of the story, one may miss out certain hidden truths, the first of which is that Zacchaeus sought the Lord for he was unsatisfied of just hearing about Jesus, He wanted to see Jesus face to face. How many of us have heard of Jesus, but do we really take the time and effort to rise up to see Him?
Secondly, the account records that Jesus beheld (saw) Zacchaeus and asked to be taken into his home (his life in a manner of speaking). When we take the first step to see Jesus, you can be assured that He will see you first and seek to come into your life, changing it accordingly to what God expects of you. Note how Jesus says that He must go into the house of Zacchaeus. The request from Jesus to all today is the same – He must come into our lives.
Thirdly, the account states that Zacchaeus ran ahead (prepared) and climbed the Sycomore tree. Jesus asks him to have the same sense of urgency (saying make haste) to come down from the tree so that Zacchaeus could take Jesus into his home. Are we preparing ourselves to see Jesus and when we encounter Him, let our fervency to connect with Him be equally urgent (in haste).
If you have heard of Jesus but have never seen Him as Savior, take the time and effort to seek to see Him and you can be sure of one thing, Jesus will see (behold) you and seek to come into your life, changing it for good, once and for all. Seek to see and be seen!
Luke 19:1-6 (KJV)
1 And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.
2 And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich.
3 And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature.
4 And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way.
5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.
6 And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.
Suresh Chandra Bose
Love the heading of 3S in today’s lesson: Seek to see and be seen…. God bless you.