How many of you have read about Zacchaeus, the tax collector, from the Bible and how Jesus went to his home to eat with him? Have you ever noticed how Jesus was just passing through the city and “just happened” to look up? I mean, how many trees did Jesus pass and not look up? I guess Zacchaeus could have called out to Jesus, but it doesn’t state that.
“When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.'” Luke 19:5
Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus. God was already working in his heart and giving him that desire to get to know the Lord. Jesus was the next step. Since Jesus was in constant communion with the Father, he knew to look up and was able to join the Father in the work He had already started.
After reading this it made me think of how many times has God had “Zacchaeuses” in a tree waiting to be called down? We have the opportunity to pray and ask God every day to open our eyes and join Him in the work He is already doing! How sweet is that!
So that morning I was asking God if He would open my eyes to the Zacchaeuses around me.
Background information. One time we were walking around and going into the little shops. In one shop we were able to talk to the clerk, Yara, for a while. God just really helped with the language barrier and gave us a great conversation. So the next few days we went down just to visit while Yara was working. One day she was not there so we got to meet her co-worker, Aracely.
So back to the morning when I was reading about Zacchaeus. As we were on our way to visit Yara, “just in time” I happened to look up and Aracely was riding by on her bike with her friend Dalila. As we said hello, we invited them over to the property where we are staying.
If we would have gone out a minute later we would have missed them. There are also tons of bikers, so the fact that we even looked up and caught them was amazing. We had a great afternoon talking, and attempting to skateboard with them. Afterwards I realized it was God giving us a Zacchaeus moment! Even meeting Aracely was unintentional, yet alone running into her later. God is such the ultimate planner! His orchestration blows my mind. And this happens way more that I will ever realize, and can happen even more if I ask for it!
Continue to pray with me that we would see where God is working and join Him. That we will have more opportunities with Yarra, Aracely, and Dalila. And that we can show them Jesus!
Aracely and me
Back to the questions I asked in the last blog:
When do I walk into a room and make judgments without even realizing it? Or how often do I miss opportunities when I am in my own little world?
It is NOT focusing on how many misses or judgments I have made but about realizing there are amazing opportunities and different viewpoints on things. Yes I need to confess my selfish/judgmental tendencies, but it is dwelling on looking at people through Jesus’ eyes. Helping us see situations and people as He sees them, asking Him to open our eyes to see where He is working. What a great Father we serve!
Ask God to open your eyes to the “Zacchaeuses” He places in your path!
In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.” John 5:17
