This podcast is a repost, was originally published on September 27, 2017.

Series: Zacchaeus’s Encounter

We have been studying about Zacchaeus who was the chief tax collector and had become very rich. He had a deep desire in his heart which was to see Jesus. But there was some limitation for him since he was too short.

In verse 4 it says he found out a solution. He ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see Jesus as He was going to pass that way.

This is so amazing, since he was very rich man and he almost embarrassed himself. He didn’t count his ego, his wealth and possession to be proud about and not go out of the way to pursue Jesus. Inspite of having a high social status, he put it all on the floor when he ran like a baby, and he not only ran but also claimed a tree.

A wealthy rich man sitting on a tree is very funny and at the same time it can be damaging to his ego and his personal reputation but he still did not care about it because his eyes was fixed on Jesus.

We know for a fact that this man was rich, he could have bought his way in meeting Jesus, but he decided to really work for it. He didn’t allow his limitation to come in between his desire to see Jesus.

We live in a world that demands our attention and our presence all the time. How can we overcome these struggles to be able to pursue God. So many times we give up by saying that we are busy and inexperienced and unqualified for this, but Zacchaeus, if he had given up because he was too short and he thought he was too much of a sinner, he would never have had a communion and an encounter with Jesus. But because he decided to not let the limitation overcome him and run ahead of the limitation, he could see Jesus.

In your life, if time is your limitation, try waking up a little early and find out creative ways to beat the limitation that the enemy has put over you. We are looking for excuses to run outside of God’s presence, can you look for excuse to run into His presence?

Pastor Subi once asked Pastor Priji – How many nights have you skipped praying because you were tired? And how many nights you skipped sleeping because you were too much into pray? That changed his perspective.

Its always that we look into our limitations and make them as an excuse to run away from the presence of God. Look for opportunities to keep going into the presence of God, to worship Him, to express your devotion to Him and if you encounter a limitation in between, make sure you run ahead of it and climb over it.

Declare this to yourself:
“I am going to run ahead of my financial struggle
I am going to climb over my busy schedule
I am going to run ahead from people who talk ill about me
I am going to climb over the emotional hurt that I go through
Everything that the enemy meant for evil God knows how to turn it around for my good and I am going to just wait back here and trust Him to take me to the next level.”

Hope that you will catch the heart that Zacchaeus had for Jesus. If you do, then you will have the same encounter that he had.

God bless you!