CLIMB A TREE!

As Jesus was on His way toward Jerusalem to suffer His final Passion, He passed through the town of Jericho where there lived a man by the name of Zacchaeus who was the chief of the publicans in that area and very rich.  The population despised Publicans at this time because they gathered the taxes to pay the price exacted by their Roman oppressors.  Often they were unscrupulous in their methods and weren’t above collecting extra to pad their own purses.

 

Scripture tells us that Zacchaeus, “sought to see Jesus who He was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature.”  It was in this man’s heart to see Jesus.  This was not just a casual curiosity to see a famous figure and be able to boast about it later.  No, this was a deep desire to know “Who He was.”  There were obstacles that stood in Zacchaeus’ way, however.  For one, he was rich.  Riches have a way of robbing a man of those things that are most important in life.  Most rich men are more concerned with their riches than with spiritual things.  Their thoughts, and their energy, are often consumed by the things that they possess.  Zacchaeus was short, also, and could not see above the crowds of people that were all around Jesus.  His own physical limitations became a barrier that kept him from seeing Jesus.

 

What Zacchaeus did next was completely out of character for a man of his position - he climbed a tree!  Had his desire to see Jesus been any less compelling, he may have given up at this point, and decided that it was hopeless.  Instead, he climbed a tree.  It took some humbling on his part to come to this decision, and it definitely took a great effort.  Like a child wanting to get a better look at some spectacle, Zacchaeus climbed the Sycamore tree.

 

This story speaks to me of our quest to see Jesus.  Coming into the presence of our sweet Lord is the only way that a person can be saved, and the only way that, once saved, we can grow.  We must see Him in order to become more like Him.  We must be filled with a desire to know Him, and Who He really is, and what He wishes to speak to us.  When our hearts are filled with this type of desire, there is no obstacle that can keep us from Him if we are willing to put forth the effort to find Him.

 

As in Zacchaeus case, there are many obstacles in our lives that keep us from seeing Jesus.  We may not be as rich as Zacchaeus was, but we may still allow the things that we possess to get in the way of our pursuing Christ.  For some, it may be their position that hinders them from seeing Jesus because their peers may look at them unfavorably.  The people in our lives oftentimes present obstacles to seeing Jesus.  They may be opposed to our seeking God, and therefore, make it difficult for us.  They may stand in our way on every side, and we can’t see around them, and we can’t see over them.  Then there are our own natural limitations.  We all have this carnal nature that always wants to rise up and make us small.  There is a constant warfare going on in every Christian – the spiritual man against the carnal man.  It is only by faith that we can rise above it all. 

 

Just as Zacchaeus climbed the Sycamore tree, we must humble ourselves, put forth the effort, and discover what our Sycamore tree is and climb it.  It may be getting up a little earlier and taking some time every morning to seek the Lord.  It may be committing to daily Bible reading or joining a Bible study.  Whatever it is, the key is to want to see Jesus, to discover Who He is, and be willing to put forth some effort to accomplish just that.  When we do, then Jesus will say to us, as he did to Zacchaeus, “. . . make haste, and come down; for today I must abide at thy house.”  I can think of nothing as beautiful or as grand as Jesus abiding in me.

 

“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.  For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.  When Christ, Who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory.” (Colossians 3:1-4).


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