Do Not Delay

I have felt like I delayed in what I was supposed to be writing for God.  I even felt distracted with too many ideas at once.  This led me to doing a study on how we should respond to God in all parts of our life.  Then, of course, God does step in while I'm pondering all this and has the pastor preach about how Zacchaeus responded when he knew Jesus was coming by.

I would like to start off talking about the various ways we can respond to God and his Word.  Jesus used the parable of the seeds to teach this to the people and in Mark 4:14-20 he explains it to his disciples.  Jesus explained, "The farmer I talked about is the one who brings God's message to others.  The seed that fell on the hard path represents those who hear the message, but then Satan comes at once and takes it away from them.  The rocky soil represents those who hear the message and receive it with joy.  But like young plants in such soil, their roots don't go very deep. At first they get along fine, but they wilt as soon as they have problems or are persecuted because they believe the word.  The thorny ground represents those who hear and accept the Good News, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for nice things, so no crop is produced.  But the good soil represents those who hear and accept God's message and produce a huge harvest — thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted." (NLT)

Even if you have not accepted Christ yet or have been a Christian for years, this parable applies to all of us.  We must decide how we will respond when we hear Jesus calling and the Word telling us how to stay on the right path.  Based on what phase of life we find ourselves in, we may find ourselves open to one thing in His Word and other times closed.  Maybe we are open to him about our future, but still closed to him about how he would like us to steward our finances and possessions.  Maybe we do well with worship, but are picky about helping others using our own criteria of who to help.  We should be striving to be like the good soil in all areas of our life, great or small.

Zacchaeus was a hated tax collector and definitely known as a great sinner amongst the Jews; however, he knew what he had to do when he learned Jesus was coming his way along the road.  His story is told in Luke 19:1-10.  Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town.  There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was one of the most influential Jews in the Roman tax-collecting business, and he had become very rich.  He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowds.  So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree beside the road, so he could watch from there. When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. "Zacchaeus!" he said. "Quick, come down! For I must be a guest in your home today."  Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy.7 But the crowds were displeased. "He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner," they grumbled. Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, "I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have overcharged people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!"  Jesus responded, "Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a son of Abraham.  And I, the Son of Man, have come to seek and save those like him who are lost." (NLT)

Zacchaeus did not need someone to tell him how to get to Jesus.  He knew he had to climb that tree to see and that also allowed him to be seen.  It had to be embarrassing because he was a rich guy and here he was climbing a tree.  He also caused much ridicule to be thrown his way and at Jesus because no one wanted Jesus to associate with a sinner such as he.  However, Zaccaeus got it and did not delay in what he had to do.  He accepted Jesus and immediately made restitution for all his sins in a very costly way to himself.

If we delay there is a chance for us to change our mind and not accept Jesus.  Or maybe God is telling us to do something and we do not want to.  Many times the idea seems even larger and harder to swallow if we decide we need to think on it further.  We get worrying about what other people will think.  We wonder how it will change our lives and if we really are ready to get out of our comfort zone.  Maybe we have some dirty laundry we are still trying to hide under our beds. 

The thing is, God already knows what we are hiding.  He gave us free will to chose him and his ways.  He is not trying to force us into anything, but no matter how crazy your logic may want it to be, God will show us why we should have listened to him.  In the end, I would rather go with God and his Word because if the Bible is right and the world is wrong, I do not want to end up in that fiery lake for eternity.  Of course, this is the least of my reasons for following Jesus, but where do you want to be for eternity?

The writer of Psalm 119:58-60 also understood how to respond to God.  With all my heart I want your blessings.  Be merciful just as you promised.  I pondered the direction of my life, and I turned to follow your statutes.  I will hurry, without lingering, to obey your commands. (NLT)

I rather be a Zacchaeus or the Psalm writer in how I respond to God.  How do you plan to respond when Jesus calls?