Warriors Arise: January 19, 2022
Luke 19:1-10 (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.” 8 Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.”
9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; 10 for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
WOW! Reading through this passage again, I didn't get very far when I realized I had read it differently in my mind. And he sought to see who Jesus was…That hits me in so many different ways. It is as if I am looking at a mosaic art piece, each one is depicting something have learned about Jesus and what He did. Knowing about someone; their accomplishments, what they did, and how they lived isn't necessarily knowing the person.
Zacchaeus sought to see who Jesus was. No one climbs a sycamore tree to see someone that they have't heard some pretty amazing things about. There are some athletes, actors, and musicians who don't want to be recognized everywhere they go. Maybe they are trying to have a family day or go grocery shopping.
Maybe Zacchaeus sought to see who Jesus was because he wanted to know how to handle the crowd when people followed him.
Maybe Zacchaeus sought to see who Jesus was because in his mind he had built up Jesus to look regal or maybe was expecting there to be a glow around Him. He couldn't possibly look ordinary.
Maybe if Zacchaeus could see who Jesus was, he might be able to connect with Him at another time.
In all that you know about Jesus, do you think you would know when He is present, about to pass by, hear His voice invite you to meet with Him? When I picture that mosaic art in my my mind, each piece having another picture of what I know about Jesus, I see the mortar between the mosaic pieces as seeing Jesus as one would know Him. It is the knowing that connects what we have heard and seen Him do. Maybe a better word picture would be scrapbooks or photo albums. When we know who Jesus is, we have a place to put all of the photos of our experience with Him. I can snap pictures all day long, every day, but that doesn't mean I know the people nor that I sought to see them. Did I see them, connect with them, or was it the event of what we did together?
Do you have a specific someone in your life that when they show up you know they are there before they even say a word? Something in the room is familiar, secure, empowering, strengthening, because they are now there. Zacchaeus knew he was not going to be able to get through the crowd. I think he wanted to see Jesus so that He could recognize Him at another time when he could speak to Him. This is why he was so desperate to see Jesus. If Jesus was so ordinary, how would Zacchaeus be able to recognize Him? He must make every effort to see Jesus. He needed to see who Jesus was.
Do you have pictures of all your have heard and read about Jesus, like mosaic pieces ready to be mortared together? Do know of Jesus or do you know Jesus, the mortar to connect everything your have heard, seen and experienced Jesus to be in your life? Zacchaeus had mosaic pieces. He needed the mortar to solidify them in his life. No one goes to such effort to see someone if they haven't heard something about them. He sought to see who Jesus was, the mortar to hold the mosaic pieces in place. Do you need to seek to see who Jesus is?
Luke 11:9-10 (NKJV) “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
Father, I come before You today. I can read event after event of what Jesus has done. But there are times I need to see Jesus. I need to see Him walk my direction. I need the connection with Jesus like the mortar that holds the mosaic pieces together. I come before You, I position myself to see Jesus. I ask for You to make Yourself apart of my life. I seek to see Your face and follow Your ways. I desire to recognize Your voice and Your leading. I do not want to just know of You, I want to know You. Make Yourself known to me; lead me in Your ways in Jesus' name amen.
A Warrior in the Lord’s Army,
Veridee Joy Hand
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