Planned and Prepared

 

And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way. 

~Luke 19:4

Jacob had a rock for a pillow.

Moses saw a bush on the backside of the desert.

David had stones to pick up for his slingshot.

Zacchaeus had a sycomore tree.

How long had Jacob's rock been there? Since the flood?

How long does it take a bush to grow on the backside of a desert?

Had David's stones lain there since the beginning of the world?

Had a tender of sycomore figs planted Zacchaeus' tree many years before? 

Like Jacob, Moses, and David, God planned and prepared for a man named Zacchaeus. The sycomore-fig tree is not native to Israel. It is an import from Egypt and other places outside Israel. Sycomore-figs have a fruit that must be tended to make it edible. Each fig must have an incision made in it so it ripens before the insects destroy it. 

Like the tree, Zacchaeus was an outsider. He was a tax collector. He was not a part of the community. When he knew Jesus was coming through Jericho, he ran to the sycomore tree, climbed up, and hid among the branches and leaves before Jesus and the crowd arrived. He didn't want anyone to see a grown man climb a tree and he probably didn't want Jesus to see him either. 

Jesus was set to go to Jerusalem but He took the time to stop under Zacchaeus' tree, look up and say, "Zacchaeus, come down, for I'm going to your house today." (Remember singing that song as a child?) The people were horrified that Jesus would go spend time with a publican, a sinner. Zacchaeus wanted Jesus and the people to know he was going to be a different person because Jesus took time for him. He publicly repented announcing the changes he would make. 

Zacchaeus was like the tree he climbed. Jesus had pierced his heart with the conviction of his sins. Jesus had changed him into a fruitful Christian who still bears fruit to this day. Years before God had planned for Zacchaeus and prepared the place for him to meet Jesus. 

Jesus has planned and prepared for each of us. It was up to Zacchaeus to choose to see Jesus, to know more about Him. It's up to us to choose to know Jesus. He's already done all that is necessary for us to come to Him.

Heavenly Father, thank you for preparing a place for me. Thank you for my parents, and grandparents who taught me your word, took me to church, and prayed for me. Thank you for pricking my heart with the conviction of sin. Thank you that I stopped hiding and pretending and came to you in repentance and faith. Father help me be your fruitful servant. In Jesus's name. Amen.