But from there you will seek the Lord your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul. Deuteronomy 4:29 (ESV)
What are you willing to do, to see God? In my devotion, I listened to a sermon that focused on Zacchaeus and his determination to see Jesus who was passing through his town (Luke 19:1-10).
In unpacking this story, we see that Zacchaeus was a tax collector, a job in Bible times that was not respected, and if anything, he was very much hated by his own Jewish people. Tax collectors were considered, the lowest of the low in society. Even though he knew he was hated by all, inside he must have felt he wanted to change. He must have heard the stories and reports of Jesus changing individuals’ lives and healing them.
So, despite the shame and the ridicule he would have suffered in the midst of the general population, he was willing to do what he must, in order to see Jesus. The verses state he was a short man, that could not see over the crowd however, he thought of a solution to see Jesus. As a grown man, he swallowed his pride and climbed a tree in order to see Jesus, pass by. As you continue the story, Jesus stopped, looked up, and called to him. Jesus knew Zacchaeus was willing to do what he must, to get close to Him.
It is here we need to ask ourselves, what are you willing to do, to get close to God? Are you willing to humble yourself, climb a tree if need be, in order to be close to Him? To be in His presence?
Many of us have had obstacles in our lives, where we feel we’re not worthy to come into God’s presence. But just like Jesus looked up to see Zacchaeus, He will also look up to see you and me, when we seek Him.
My prayer is for all of us to focus on wanting to change our lives for the better. To seek God with everything we have, in order to live for Him. Zacchaeus’s example should encourage us all to not focus on the problems that we have or have had in this life but, to focus on the forgiveness and salvation that Jesus offers to us all.
Be willing to “climb your tree” in order to seek a closer relationship with God.
Blessings,
Angélique
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