"An intimate encounter with Jesus is the most transforming experience of human existence." - John Eldridge
Have you ever tried to avoid someone and then found yourself face-to-face with that person in a situation from which you couldn't escape? It's happened to all of us!
I think Zaccheaus in 1st-Century Jericho may have found himself in that predicament. The crowds were great and Zacheaus was not a favorite among the people because he collected taxes for the hated Romans. Apparently he had a curiosity about Jesus and wanted to know more, but only from a distance. He climbed the sycamore tree because he wanted to see, but not to be seen.
But, this is Jesus, right? He doesn't miss anything! Of course he sees this little man in the big tree and is not going to let him get away with hiding. He calls him down from the tree. And, if that's not scary enough, he then invites himself to Zaccheaus' house for a meal. Zaccheaus couldn't hide from Jesus, but he did get to know more about him! And his life was tranformed forever in that one encounter.
We don't have to hide our struggles. Jesus sees. We don't have to be embarrassed about our doubts. Jesus sees. He sees our joy, too. When we are kind or generous, he sees. When we are afraid or anxious, he sees. He even sees us when we're trying to hide.
He invites us to come out of hiding, and he waits for our response. Jesus always sees. And he looks on us with grace, love, and forgiveness.
"You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
You understand my thought from afar.
You scrutinize my path and my lying down,
And are intimately acquainted with all my ways." - Psalm 139:2-3
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