“The passion children bring to hide-and-seek is the same passion we need to bring to finding God.”
Karen Mains
Have you ever wanted something so much that you were willing to do almost anything? Luke 19:1-10 tells a story about a man who took extraordinary actions just to catch a glimpse of Jesus. His name was Zaccheus and scripture tells us he was a chief tax collector, one who was wealthy and despised by the people. In this scenario, Zaccheus had one desire and that was to see who Jesus was. Because he was short and he couldn’t see over the crowd, he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see Jesus as He came near. If you knew Jesus was about to pass by you, what actions would you take to see Him, to catch His attention?
Zaccheus only expected to see what Jesus looked like as He walked on by. But Jesus surprised Zaccheus as He stopped below him and looked right up at him. I can only imagine how pleasantly shocked Zaccheus must have been when Jesus called him by his name, told him to immediately climb down off the tree because Jesus wanted to stay at his house that day.
I love how Jesus knew Zaccheus’s name. Jesus is an up-close personal and relational God. Jesus knew all about Zaccheus – that he was a despised tax collector, a sinner in need of Jesus. Likewise, Jesus knows your name and your need for Him. He stops, looks, and speaks to your heart when He notices you’re seeking to find Him. God looks and knows the real you. He sees all the heartaches and joys you experienced in 2021 and encourages you to come near and experience His presence. Jeremiah 29:13 is a promise we can hold on to: “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
Sometimes going after God, seeking to be in His presence, requires a sacrifice to position yourself before Him. Be like Zaccheus, willing to do whatever you need, to see Jesus. Are you willing to take risks, walk in radical obedience, and get out of your comfort zone, just to experience Jesus? This new year, plan ahead like Zaccheus; be strategic and intentional with the ways you seek Jesus. I bet when you do that you will not only see Him, but He will also have His gaze be fixed on you and invite you to come closer into His presence. I can’t think of a greater way to start the new year than to discover who Jesus is.
“If you find God, you find life: if you miss God, you miss the whole point of living.”
Kenneth Pillar
Relevant Reflection:
How can you show Jesus that you are seeking to see and experience Him?