Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4 or Isaiah 1:10-18
Psalm 119:137-144 or Psalm 32:1-7
2 Thess. 1:1-4, 11-12
Luke 19:1-10
Zacchaeus, a rich tax collector, felt some deep dissonance within himself, something that persistently disturbed his peace, letting him know that things were not right in his heart. His money didn't satisfy him, and his power didn't satisfy him. He was living a false life, he was living a lie, and he knew it.
Zacchaeus had heard about Jesus, and felt the nudge to find out if this man could provide the answer. Now Jesus was coming to Jericho, so Zacchaeus was determined to at least see him. Climbing a tree to get above the crowds, Zacchaeus was stunned when Jesus stopped and invited himself to Zacchaeus' house. Once the encounter with the loving Christ happened, there was no turning back – Zacchaeus was now a changed man, and Jesus proclaimed that "Today, salvation has come to this house."
Salvation has a beginning, but perhaps has no end. It becomes a way of life that starts now and continues on through eternity. Salvation means that one's past is surrendered to the mercy of God, the future is left to the Providence of God, and the present moment becomes filled with the love of God. There is no room left for anything but the love of God. Each moment becomes a new past, and shapes a new future.
The tugging that Zacchaeus felt in his heart is something put there by God. It won't go away, because His love for us won't go away. It's steadfast and enduring. It's an invitation to be open to God's love, to His guidance, and to His presence. If we accept this invitation, as Zacchaeus did, we meet God through the living Jesus, and we see in him what we are meant to be.
Salvation is taking the next step to become that person.
What happened to Zacchaeus? He ended up sharing his wealth with the poor. He made restitution for his past wrongs. And he viewed his life very differently from that moment on. He become the person that he was made to be. As Paul wrote in II Corinthians 5, "A person in Christ is a new creation; everything old has passed away, everything has become new." That is salvation.
Our task is to discover who we were made to be, to become what we really are – not what other people want us to be. We need to find our place in the body of Christ, wherever that may be, and realize that whatever it is we're doing, it's equally important to the body as every other part. Read Paul's description of the body of Christ in I Corinthians 12. He does an excellent job of keeping things in perspective.
The crowds of people (things and pressures of this world) can keep us from seeing this truth, much like the crowds that kept Zacchaeus from seeing Jesus. Zacchaeus separated himself from the crowd so that he had a chance to see the one who would bring him salvation. Find your own sycamore tree and climb it. As the psalmist writes in Psalm 119, "Give me understanding that I may live."
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