Tuesday, November 17, 2015

17 November 2015 - make a scene

So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus,
who was about to pass that way.

It is possible for the crowds to keep us from seeing Jesus. They are closer. They are easier to see and easier to hear. Often times, there isn't a way through to Jesus that doesn't involve standing out from the crowds. We might even need to appear a little ridiculous like Zacchaeus.

Eleazar wants to pursue God, too. But it is making him so conspicuous that he actually faces torture and death for God's sake. In order to blend in with the crowd he would have to break God's law and he is unwilling to do so. He is unwilling to even appear to do so for fear that he would lead others astray.

At our age it would be unbecoming to make such a pretense;
many young people would think the ninety-year-old Eleazar
had gone over to an alien religion.

We admire the actions of men like Zacchaeus and Eleazar. But we do not think ourselves capable of similar feats. What we need to realize, even in difficult circumstances like they face, is that God is seeking us even more than we're seeking him. We read that Jesus looks up at Zacchaeus even before we hear that Zacchaeus looks down at him. Jesus knows his name before he introduces himself. Staying at the house of Zacchaeus is already a part of Jesus's plan.

When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said, 
“Zacchaeus, come down quickly,
for today I must stay at your house.” 

When we realize that Jesus wants us even more than we want him, that he loves us even more than we love him, we are willing to stand out and make a scene for him. We trust in his plan for us more the incidental circumstances that occur along the way.

When we trust Jesus like this he upholds us no matter how many our adversaries, how many rise up against us, or how many telling us that God cannot help. When we trust Jesus like this he is our shield, glory which surpasses any embarrassment we face in the world.

When I lie down in sleep,
I wake again, for the LORD sustains me.
I fear not the myriads of people
arrayed against me on every side.

Even when we lie down in death the LORD sustains us. We know will rise again. With this kind of trust each of our lives can be like that of Eleazar. Holiness is not for only a select few. There are only saints in heaven!

This is how he died,
leaving in his death a model of courage
and an unforgettable example of virtue
not only for the young but for the whole nation.

If we need to climb a tree to see Jesus let us climb it. If we must lay down our lives to remain faithful to the LORD let us lay them down. We can't do this on our own but the LORD upholds us.

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