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Sometimes It Takes a Little Effort
In 1992, a guy named Michael began visiting Buckhead Community Church (now CCC). He sat on the very back row every Sunday and bolted from the auditorium the second the service concluded. After months of this, he began to hang around the lobby after the service. Members of the church began to get to know him and engage him in conversation. Through the messages on Sunday, the relationships that were fostered, and of course the Holy Spirit, Michael gave his life to Christ. And it was like he had been shot out of a cannon. He was telling everyone he came in contact with about what God had done in his life and what He could do for them. He had such an enthusiasm! Frankly, it made me jealous. I grew up in the church. I was there every time the doors were open. I had been a Christian for many years. Michael and I had a conversation about our difference of attitude and enthusiasm for the gospel. And I will never forget this statement he made: “I hope I never forget that feeling and enthusiasm I had when I first accepted Christ.” Now, I don’t know if we can always have that mountaintop experience-type feeling. Oswald Chambers says that most of life is meant to be lived in the mundane. We are to use those infrequent “up” times to get through the more even- keeled times.
Jesus is always there; through high times and low times. He never wavers. He never leaves us. But to see Him, it takes effort on our part. Zaccheus was desperate to see Jesus. He knew, at his height , he would have a hard time seeing him so he did what he had to do. He got ahead of the crowd. He climbed a tree. He WAS going to see Jesus.
Often I get bogged down with the busyness of life. Then I wonder why I don’t feel connected to Jesus. It’s certainly not because He’s away somewhere. He’s right here. I just need to run to him.
Thanks, Ben.
As I was reading this truth, a ton of verses from the Book of Hebrews flooded into my spirit, including the passage Megan read on Sunday:
Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith (10:22)
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful (10:23)
Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds (10:24)
Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another (10:25)
“Let us. Let us. Let us.” Faith takes effort. I think even more effort as we grow in our Christian walk, and experience more of the mundane and less of the mountain-tops. Again from Hebrews:
Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles (12:1)
Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross (12:2)
Pray. Walk. Run.
Also a fellow native Atlantan – born at Crawford Long, and it’s still a hospital.
Whenever I read the story of Zacchaeus I think of two songs, one I learned in VBS, “Zacchaeus Was a Wee Little Man,” and the Randy Newman song “Short People” which is just a horrible song. I never was short, but I certainly have been ridiculed when I could not hide my deformities and weaknesses. Such shame when you feel those words land on you and embarrassment heats your face. Children are so brutally honest, and adults are so intentionally unkind. Thank God we have the One who formed us in the womb and designed us in detail to love us without limit.
Zacchaeus was looked down on for his stature, and he was looked down on because he was a tax collector – one of those “sinners.” But he was desperate to see Jesus. Zacchaeus responded to the crowd in front of him that he could not overcome. He ran to where our Lord would be, not stand where he was. He climbed a sycamore tree, no easy trick for a tiny man, just to catch a glimpse of Jesus. And Jesus did not disappoint him.
Yeah, I need that kind of intensity and excitement.
Ben, you know, I just want to come home. I mean I am looking for a job somewhere around Smyrna, anything. Living in Savannah has been great but change must come. I had a place that called and wanted to interview me, then today said no – don’t come. Disappointment……
How much I needed to be reminded that all I need is to be connected to Jesus. Thanks!
desperate to see Jesus. it’s my prayer — for me and those at CCC.
It is so easy to get bogged down with the busyness of life that we don’t have any energy left to make the effort to see him.
Lord, help us to not be so stinkin’ busy.
My prayer for the day is others would see Jesus through me.
Sure, it takes some effort. But, let’s put things in perspective. How much did God give to us before we were asked of anything. When I think of giving his Son, giving us life, giving us a world to live on, giving us a church building to praise him in and get fed, giving us the numerous opportunities we are given.
Then he looks at me and asks simply for me to believe. It is the least that I can do.