God Wants You!

“When Jesus came by, He looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name, ‘Zacchaeus!’  He said, ‘Quick, come down for I must be a guest in your home today.’” Lu.19:5 [emphasis added]

Pay attention to what Jesus said; I must be a guest in your home today. In other words, I am compelled to. Do you want Jesus to be compelled to go home with you today? I am here to tell you that God has not given up on you. Jesus is hanging around the tree you are on. In fact, He is shaking the tree and calling you to come down. What do you think that moment was like for Zacchaeus? He was an outcast amongst his people. He had a bad name. He was a short man. But Jesus, the Maker of the heavens and the earth, put everything on hold and said, Zacchaeus I am going to your house today. We are going to have lunch together.

Just imagine that. If I were Zacchaeus, I most likely would do a victory dance in full view of everyone. The point is this, if there was an election Zacchaeus would not have won. In fact, the people grumbled. The Bible says, “But the crowds were displeased.  ‘He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner,’ they grumbled” Lu.19:7.

Do you feel like an outcast in your family, or do you feel disconnected from everyone around you? I am here to tell you the truth of God’s Word. Jesus is on your trail and He is not about to back down. And that is what is known as Divine Initiative. Divine Initiative simply states: “God moves near to you in Jesus Christ with welcoming arms. No matter who you are or what you have done. God comes to you, keeps coming to you, keeps extending His love to you, until you come out of the tree and bring Him home”. Are you going to come out of that tree today and bring Him home? Note that Jesus is not going to stop.

Can you sense God drawing you? Can you sense a thirst in your heart for God? And this is the Living God that said to Zacchaeus, friend we are going home together. In that culture, to go home with someone and have dinner, is accepting the person. And that is what God has come to do for you and me . So David is  so totally apt when He says, “what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care?”. You and I can totally relate to what David was feeling.

Prayer [song]: Who am I that You are mindful of me, that You hear me when I call. Is it true that You are thinking of me, O how You love me. It’s amazing! I am a friend of God… He calls me friend. Amen!