Seeker and Saver of the Lost

DON'T WE ALL LOVE TREES! ZACCHAEUS LOVES THAT SYCAMORE TREE BY JERICHO ROAD; THE WAY ITS LEAVES CLOTHE IT WITH BEAUTIFUL COLORS; THE SOLACE OF THEIR RUSTLING IN THE WIND. ITS BRANCHES ARE A PLACE WHERE A THINKING MAN CAN ESCAPE, PLAN A NEW WAY TO FAME AND FORTUNE. ZACCHAEUS SEEMS TO BLEND INTO ITS BRANCHES AND BECOME ALMOST INVISIBLE TO THE WORLD BELOW. IT'S ALSO A GREAT PLACE TO GET A GOOD LOOK AT JESUS AS HE PASSES BY... WITHOUT BEING NOTICED BY HIM. BUT SOMETIMES TREES ARE NOT SO GOOD; LIKE THE FORBIDDEN TREE OF KNOWLEDGE IN THE GARDEN. TRUTH IS, ZACCHAEUS DOESN T WANT TO BE NOTICED BY JESUS OR ANYONE ELSE, MAINLY BECAUSE OF THE GUILT AND SHAME HE LIVES WITH AS A TAX- COLLECTOR FOR THE HATED ROMANS. THE WORLD HAD ZACCHAEUS TREED LOST IN THE DARKNESS OF SELF-CONDEMNATION AND FEAR. BUT GOD SAW SOMETHING WE OFTEN MISS A HEART THAT WAS SEEKING HIS SON THE SEEKER AND SAVER OFTHE LOST.