Do you remember, as a child, being in a large crowd, straining to see something special? And then realizing that all you could see were the backs and behinds of the people in front of you?

That is, until an adult noticed you struggling to see. They lifted you up, placed you on their shoulders, and suddenly you were higher than everyone else. You realized you had the best view in the place!

On my journey through Luke today, I was reading Luke 19, and was considering what the view must have been like for Zacchaeus on that day he decided to climb the tree. You see, the bible tells us that Zacchaeus was “short”. So, when the crowds began to gather to see Jesus, he was seeing the backs and behinds of the people in front of him. However, he may have been short in stature, but he was most certainly not short in creativity and ingenuity. He found a tree. And he climbed it. He suddenly had the best view in the place! How awesome is that! Not only was Zacchaeus able to see Jesus, but Jesus saw Zacchaeus!

As Zacchaeus is up there enjoying the view, perhaps waving at the people below him, Jesus sees him. He not only sees him, but he greets him. And he not only greets him, but Jesus invites himself over to dinner at Zacchaeus’ house! Wow! That climb up into the sycamore tree was so worth it!

Zacchaeus did what hopefully any of us would do, “came down at once and welcomed him gladly”.

Today, I pose this question-how eager are we to see Jesus? Are we hungering Him to the point that we are willing to “climb the sycamore tree”? To do something unusual, so we can see Him more clearly? To go out of our way to hear His voice?

Everywhere we look, it seems there are currently big crowds. Restaurants. The expressway. Stores. It takes some effort on our parts, to find a way to see Jesus through the crowds and chaos. But when we do, when we put in that effort, when we climb that tree--the view is so beautiful. The relationship with Jesus is so sweet. We see Him. He sees us. We are reminded that He longs to sit at our table and share in conversation with us. We are reminded, as Zacchaeus was, that He “came to seek and to save the lost”.

Today's blog is teaching from Luke 19:1-10. Enjoy reading the full story on your own. 

Prayer

Heavenly Father, as I navigate this busy season, I don't want to forget You in the midst of it all. I want to hunger for you. I want to chase you. I want to climb to the tallest tree, so I can see and hear you more clearly. Come, Lord Jesus, sit with me. So, I can give you praise and thanks for coming to earth to seek and save someone like me. Amen