Warriors Arise: February 4, 202
Luke 19:1-7 (NKJV) Then Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. 2 Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. 3 And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, for he was of short stature. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way. 5 And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” 6 So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully. 7 But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, “He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner.”
Who are the they? By nature we are really good at deflecting. When accusations come our knee-jerk response is to deny. Nobody wants to get caught. None wants to get in trouble. I wonder who the they are because I would think they would be saying,
"I'm so disappointed Jesus didn't choose to come to my house."
"I wish I would have asked Jesus to come my house."
"I wonder what Jesus will say to Zacchaeus."
"I hope Zacchaeus listens to Jesus."
But they don't. They sit in the judge's seat, saying, "He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner," as if they weren't. Jesus hadn't saved anyone yet, He had not died on the cross and rose again victorious. All fall short of the glory of God. We all are sinners. They all are sinners. No not one is without sin. Their excuse for complaining is that Jesus is going to a house of a sinner and He asked to go. Actually, He didn't really ask, He told Zacchaeus He was going to his house and they were complaining. They were disgusted!
Instead of seeing Jesus going to Zaachaeus' as a good thing, they were complaining to each other. We all get disappointed when we are not picked or selected for something we want to be a part of. It is nature. To ease the pain our natural is reaction is to judge those who got selected rather than rejoice with them. It is not natural to rejoice with someone. I believe that is why God had to make it Scripture.
Romans 12:15 (NKJV) Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.
It is easy to rejoice with those who are rejoicing if we were selected as well, but it is against our nature to truly be able to rejoice with someone when we didn't get selected. We have to dig deep and sometimes call upon Jesus to give us the ability to rejoice in the success of others. But God gave us a Scripture to know that we have the ability to rejoice with others even when we are disappointed.
Philippians 4:13 (NKJV) I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
We have access to have the strength to rejoice with those who are rejoicing. Just because we have access to something doesn't mean we choose to operate with it or in it. Why do we need the Holy Spirit? First, and foremost, because we have access to God at any time, every day, every minute, every second.
1 Corinthians 2:9-16 (NKJV) But as it is written:
“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.
13 These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. 16 For “who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
Those who were complaining about Jesus going to Zacchaeus' were complaining, because they did not have the heart of God. They were in their natural state of being, because Jesus had not become their Savior, yet. They did not understand Jesus came for the sinners. That included them as well.
I wonder, as Jesus walked through Jericho that day, if He was looking for one person who would recognize their need for a Savior? Someone who would be honest with themselves, "I am a sinner. I need to be saved. I am unrighteous." Instead, He walked a long way, being pushed by the crowd unable to stop to get a bite to eat or drink of water. Maybe this is why He stopped at the well outside the city and sent His disciples in to get food on the day the woman met the true Living Water, when she came to draw at the well. Going into a city meant people were going to crowd around Him for their needs to be met; but how many times in Scripture did someone invite Jesus to come to their house, to meet His need? There are a few recorded times, but do you find it unusual that people did not invite Jesus to come to their house? Why they didn't see His need to rest and be fed?
To complain, means we think we have been treated wrong. These people crowding around Jesus, why did they come out to see Him? Why did they follow Him? If Jesus had told them He was coming to their house would they have welcomed Him and been disgusted that Jesus didn't work a miracle, feed Himself, His disciples, and them?
Until God throws me into the refiner's fire, I too am the complainer of what God is doing in the lives of others. I have had to learn to rejoice with those who are rejoicing. I have had to reach out for the Spirit of God and bless the work God is doing in the lives of others and the opportunities He has given others. Complaining only grows the weeds within my own mind and the roots of those weeds reach down and suffocate the Spirit of God in my heart. Complaining feeds those weeds. Complaining distorts our view, sabotages our ability to believe good of God, and chokes our faith. When we are choking, we can't speak. Complaining chokes our faith. We can't complain and have faith at the same time just like you can't speak when you are choking.
Father, I ask for You to come. To many times when You have chosen someone else, I have judged You. The evidence is because my heart does not rejoice with them. I wanted it to be me. I wanted to be chosen. Because I wasn't and positioned myself as the judge of Your actions, I began complaining about who You did select. I know Your love for me is intense. I know You have not left me behind. I don't know why it isn't my time, but I trust You know the perfect timing. I ask for You to reveal if there is anything in me that prevents me from receiving and being called into what You have called me to do. I place myself before You. I ask to have Your heart, to celebrate with who You have selected. I pray I would be bold to offer to bring You to my house. I pray I would be willing to recognize what You need instead of what I want. I do not want to align with those who are complaining about what You are doing in the lives of others. I want to be cheering for them and that Salvation has come to their house, as well as the wondrous work You will do in their lives and through their lives. I want to be found rejoicing and believing You can bring a change in them no matter how sinful I think they may be. I am not without sin. I need You. I need my Savior. Help me to see when You are coming and to invite You in. Maybe Jesus was just looking for one who would be willing to provide for Him, make time for Him, offer Him a place out of the crowd and into their heart. I want to be that person in Jesus' name amen.
A Warrior in the Lord’s Army,
Veridee Joy Hand
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