Morning musings.

Have you ever wanted a relationship with someone?  I'm not talking romantically.  I'm talking about maybe someone you've idolized from a distance, or think is really cool, or is new in town?  I know I have.  And sometimes when it doesn't work out, I  get a little disappointed.  But sometimes it does work out and it turns in to something really amazing and fruitful.  All it takes is a little persistence and sticking your neck out there.

There is a story in the Bible about a guy who was in this exact position.  He was someone who was not liked in his home town - he was the dreaded tax collector whom everyone didn't trust or like at all.  Well Zacchaeus heard that Jesus was coming to town and wanted to meet him.  In Luke 19:2 it says that he was "wanting to see what sort of person Jesus was".  You see, he idolized Jesus from a distance.  Zac wanted to know about Him, what His life was like, and who He was.  Jesus rolls in to town and Zac climbs a tree to get a look at Him, thinking Jesus wouldn't realize he was up there.  Well Jesus is Jesus and He knew. He could feel that someone wanted to know Him.

So what does Jesus do?  He stops everything and invites Himself over to Zac's house for dinner.  All Jesus wanted to do was strike up a relationship with Zac and get to know him.  On his turf.  In his kitchen.  Over his dinner table. You see, Jesus is consistent.  He comes in to our lives and does the same thing.  He never forces him self on us and says that in order to know Him we have to go to church or be a missionary or go to Catholic school.  He just says "let's hang out every day and do stuff together".  He wants to go through this life with us, not above us.  Jesus just wants to be with.

My question to myself while I was reading this was two-fold.  I asked myself that if Zacchaeus wanted to know what kind of person Jesus is and I was living in his time, am I showing him with my life who Jesus is?  That struck a chord.  Am I living out what Jesus wants me to be as His follower and friend or am I doing my own thing?  Would Zac know who Jesus was if he met me?

I also asked myself, Am I walking through life, doing stuff, with Jesus everyday?  Or do I just invite Him to certain things?  You see, Jesus wants to be a part and THE part of everything!  He doesn't care.  He just wants to be with us and do stuff.  All of our stuff.  Not just the stuff that we want Him to see or know about.  I mean, come on.  He's God and knows about it anyway, so why try to hide??  Just let it all hang out and let Jesus in on the inside.

Lots to think about for me on this one.  Lots to do about it.  What about you?  Until next time, don't be afraid to seek out a new relationship.  You never know where it might lead you.