I have been reading through the gospels over the past several weeks. It is has been such a good reminder of the great love that the Father lavished on us- a love so great that He sacrificed His one and only son for our sake. It has also been interesting to me the number of passages that God has brought a deeper insight and understanding to me despite having read many of them countless times. Today was one of those moments!
Join me in Luke 19....
"Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.” But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:1-10 NIV)
I have always loved the story about Zacchaeus. Perhaps because he was so desperate to see Jesus- so much so that he was willing to climb a tree and face ridicule for it. Am I that desperate to see the Savior? Do I take desperate measures to "see" Him each day? Perhaps it is because he was so repentant and genuinely convicted over his actions. This I can easily identify with and Jesus' response to him brings such comfort and joy. Our Savior always draws near to those who are genuinely repentant and convicted over their actions. Perhaps and maybe my greatest attraction to the life of Zacchaeus, is that he was short..... like me. I well know the frustration of not being able to see over a crowd and being able to reach things. I have also walked the journey of being the mother of a shorter child and know how upsetting that can be. Being short.... well, it can stink!
Today, as I read it the thought hit me that while Zacchaeus may have always viewed his shortness as a detriment to his life, it was the very thing that drew him to the Father. Okay, follow me for a minute on this one. Obviously, he was "drawn" to the crowds that day by all that he had heard about Jesus and he longed for a spiritual healing over a physical one, but it was his shortness that made him climb that sycamore tree in a desperation to see Jesus. Jesus was drawn to this grown man to who was so desperate to see him that he would climb a tree to do so. Jesus saw the heart of Zacchaeus and any man that desperate to see a glimpse of the Savior is absolutely ready for a heart change, but how many others in the crowd were in the same place spiritually? Zacchaeus has been forever documented in the record of our Savior because he had a seemingly detrimental condition- shortness- that God used draw him closer to the Savior.
My friend, often times, it is those detrimental areas of our life- weaknesses, struggles, heartaches and so forth- that will be what draws us to the Savior in desperation. Keep in mind Jesus came to heal brokenness and he is drawn to those who recognize their need for Him! What area of your life have you viewed as a detriment? Can or has God used that very area of your life to draw you closer to Him? If so, have you praised Him for redeeming that area for you and how He can turn any struggle, heartache, and weakness into something that honors the Father? Oh glory!
Take some time today to praise Him for all the redeemed "shortnesses" in your life! Blessings!
I have always loved the story about Zacchaeus. Perhaps because he was so desperate to see Jesus- so much so that he was willing to climb a tree and face ridicule for it. Am I that desperate to see the Savior? Do I take desperate measures to "see" Him each day? Perhaps it is because he was so repentant and genuinely convicted over his actions. This I can easily identify with and Jesus' response to him brings such comfort and joy. Our Savior always draws near to those who are genuinely repentant and convicted over their actions. Perhaps and maybe my greatest attraction to the life of Zacchaeus, is that he was short..... like me. I well know the frustration of not being able to see over a crowd and being able to reach things. I have also walked the journey of being the mother of a shorter child and know how upsetting that can be. Being short.... well, it can stink!
Today, as I read it the thought hit me that while Zacchaeus may have always viewed his shortness as a detriment to his life, it was the very thing that drew him to the Father. Okay, follow me for a minute on this one. Obviously, he was "drawn" to the crowds that day by all that he had heard about Jesus and he longed for a spiritual healing over a physical one, but it was his shortness that made him climb that sycamore tree in a desperation to see Jesus. Jesus was drawn to this grown man to who was so desperate to see him that he would climb a tree to do so. Jesus saw the heart of Zacchaeus and any man that desperate to see a glimpse of the Savior is absolutely ready for a heart change, but how many others in the crowd were in the same place spiritually? Zacchaeus has been forever documented in the record of our Savior because he had a seemingly detrimental condition- shortness- that God used draw him closer to the Savior.
My friend, often times, it is those detrimental areas of our life- weaknesses, struggles, heartaches and so forth- that will be what draws us to the Savior in desperation. Keep in mind Jesus came to heal brokenness and he is drawn to those who recognize their need for Him! What area of your life have you viewed as a detriment? Can or has God used that very area of your life to draw you closer to Him? If so, have you praised Him for redeeming that area for you and how He can turn any struggle, heartache, and weakness into something that honors the Father? Oh glory!
Take some time today to praise Him for all the redeemed "shortnesses" in your life! Blessings!
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