Look For A Sycamore
RISE AND SHINE FOR
JESUS! \O/
By
Pam Iannello (my late mother)
Luke
19:1-7 (KJV)
And Jesus
entered and passed through Jericho
A
little man, a chief among publicans, and rich – these are the external attributes
that the Bible offers us in regard to Zacchaeus. But the one thing that stands
out to me as we go on with the text is this man’s heart! Yes, Zacchaeus
had a heart for God even before his
salvation! How do we know that? Because he put aside his position and power
and did something nobody else expected – he RAN and CLIMBED UP into a sycamore
tree to see Christ. What a strange way for a little, rich, chief publican to
behave, amen? It must have been something to see! I might have even chuckled
myself had I been there… But you know what? Zacchaeus thought Jesus was worth
it – even as a lost man!
How
about you, dear lady? Did you have more of a heart for the Lord before you were saved than you do now
that you’ve been born again? Is it possible you were more interested in getting
a good look at God when you were lost? Were you more willing then to abandon
what people thought of you to know His Word? Did you put more energy and
enthusiasm into searching out God than you do at present? Has your desire for
Jesus diminished since you became a Christian? How would the Lord answer that question?
Think
about it… The Bible says that Zacchaeus
knew that Jesus was to pass that way; hence, he put himself in the path of the
Lord. Likewise, all of us know where we can meet up with God and that is during
our quiet time first thing in the morning. Tell me, do you approach your quiet
time with the same eagerness as Zacchaeus displayed? Did you run to meet
with your Savior today; did you climb over all that might have been in
your way to get with God? Or did you let some things interfere with developing
a deeper relationship with Christ? How
badly do you want to see Jesus on a daily basis?
It
comes as no surprise that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is fully aware of our
hearts at all times, even if we choose to overlook them. Yes, Jesus knows
whether or not we really care about organizing our lives in such a way that
they intersect with the power of God. Ladies, the Lord will match your zeal for
truth; He’ll make it worth your while if you do whatever is necessary to put
yourself in a position to meet with God as Zacchaeus did. Your life is no
different today than his was back then – there were lots of things hindering
Zacchaeus ability to see Jesus – he just didn’t settle for excuses – even prior to salvation!
Go
back and read the above text again – what did Christ do in this situation? He
came to the foot of the very tree where this little, rich, chief publican sat
perched for the big moment and God honored his sincerity and sacrifice with His
presence! Notice the language that our Savior used in vs. 5 when talking to
Zacchaeus – “make haste and come down;
for to day I must abide at thy house.” Christ met
the mood of this man – He exhibited the same urgency to meet with Zacchaeus
as Zacchaeus exhibited toward meeting with Him!
Yes, Jesus passed by all the other people in the crowd and sought to be
guest with the one person who had a heart for God. Would that be you?
How
long has it been since you really sensed the presence of God in your quiet time,
dear lady? Is it possible you haven’t been approaching the hour of meeting your
Savior with the right attitude? Are you quick to let other things interfere and
slow to climb over the obstacles that would prevent you from getting a closer
look at Christ? Zacchaeus and Jesus received
each other warmly and enjoyed a sweet time of fellowship in his house that
day. It was a joyous occasion, not a
chore or a bore! What has transpired
between you and Jesus in your house this morning?
Sadly,
the Bible says in vs. 7 that EVERYONE else in the crowd murmured about the zeal
this particular man had for God. They criticized the personal relationship
between Savior and sinner… Ladies, I hope your Christianity isn’t controlled by
the temperature of other believers around you, or even lost folk. In these last
days it seems that many of God’s people are cold and lifeless and have no real
desire to live for the Lord wholeheartedly anymore. Be a Zacchaeus – be the one
in the crowd who still cares! Show it – run
and climb – put yourself in God’s path on purpose; look for a sycamore
tree! Prove to your Savior that He really matters more than anything else
in your life!
Historical
Note:
The sycamore tree ranges from 60 to 90 feet in height and its trunk can be
massive. The air under her is moist and fresh, making it ideal to dine beneath
or rest. The fruit, sap and bark was used in medicine so it is considered a healing tree. The tree does not reproduce – a branch is
broken off and planted. (John 15:5) It has the ability to bear up to 7 crops a
year on small, leafless branches. The
ripening of its fruit is dependent upon the interaction of a small wasp who
lays its egg within the “eye” of the fruit. Without
this, the fruit would not ripen but fall to the ground and rot. The sap and
fruit of the Sycamore is used as a natural sweetener, believed to
symbolize mercy and compassion. It is known as a sacred tree because its wood was used for burial purposes and has been found planted near ancient Egyptian tombs.
The Sycamore tree is often depicted in hieroglyphs dispensing food and drink of
immortality, symbolizing the perpetual renewal in the after world. A Sycamore
marks the place on Roda
Island Heliopolis
(Do
you think Zacchaeus knew all this about a Sycamore tree? He may not have the
day he climbed one, but he does now!!)
God
Bless,
Pam
Isaiah
60:1&2
Copyright 2005 Pamela A.
Iannello
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