Digging Deeper: Jesus Was Intentional
1 Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town. 2 There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was the chief tax collector in the region, and he had become very rich. 3 He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree beside the road, for Jesus was going to pass that way. 5 When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. “Zacchaeus!” he said. “Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today.” 6 Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy. 7 But the people were displeased. “He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner,” they grumbled. 8 Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, “I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!” 9 Jesus responded, “Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”
Luke 19:1-10 (NLT)
JESUS WAS INTENTIONAL
I am a visual learner, and for whatever reason, I have always pictured this scene as a dusty dirt path with a single tree, standing all alone beside the road. These thoughts were probably stirred up by the children’s song we talked about earlier this week! However, a quick internet search showed that Jericho is actually known as “the city of Palm Trees,” bordered with lush vegetation and natural springs. It is probably more accurate to picture Zacchaeus in a sycamore tree on a dirt path running through a small forest like setting.
It may seem insignificant at first, but let’s take a closer look at verse 5. It says, “when Jesus reached the spot, he looked up.” That is a very specific detail, given that we know there is a crowd following Him. The verse continues, “and (Jesus) said to him, Zacchaeus, come down immediately.” We know they have not met before, but Jesus calls him by name. It reminds me of a football game where a player scores a touchdown and gives the ball to a child in the end zone. The kids’ faces are always so shocked and excited. Being singled out among thousands of fans for a great souvenir – what a thrill! Zacchaeus probably felt that same way when he realized Jesus knew him. He was there to see the man he had heard about. Jesus was there to change his life. Amid the noise, the crowds and the trees, Jesus intentionally stops at the very spot Zacchaeus was located and gets personal.
The busyness and loudness of our lives can rob us of these personal moments with Christ if we let them. We must be intentional in pursuing a relationship with Jesus. Spending time with Him, asking Him to lead us as we seek to do whatever it takes. Our obedience to follow through, will depend greatly on our connection to Christ. Do we truly know Him? Are we committed to seeking Him daily? Do we have a “spot” that we meet with Christ, pray and study His Word? There is nothing more important and nothing that equips us more for this life than to be with Jesus.
Bridget Turner serves as the Director of Women’s Groups at NorthStar Church. She and her husband, Steve, live in Powder Springs and have two young adult children, Hannah and Joshua. She enjoys watching football, traveling and reading.