Climbed

Luke 19:4 (NASB)

So he ran on ahead, and climbed a sycamore tree to see Him.

When was the last time you climbed a tree, let alone a mountain, to see Jesus of Nazareth? Nowadays, people don't even turn on the television for a Church service, let alone cross the street to the neighborhood Church. In this verse, we see the story of Zaccheus, who climbed a tree to see the Son of God. While it is true that salvation and sanctification are God's plans and that no effort of ours will save us, we still have to participate in God's redemptive plan. God will not repent on our behalf, we have to do that. God will grant us the ability to repent. He'll also create a penitent heart in us by convicting us of sin through the Holy Spirit, but He will not repent for us. That is something we have to do.

In this verse, we notice that God created a curiosity and desire in Zachheus to see the Son of God. This man's desire was so strong that he would climb a tree to see Jesus of Nazareth. Notice that God put the desire in Zaccheus's heart and the strength to run and climb. But it was still Zaccheus who had to climb the tree. Jesus did not climb the tree for Zaccheus. This is a point most Christians ignore. God will not pray on our behalf, ask on our behalf, or believe on our behalf. He gives us the desire, ability, strength, and opportunity to ask, pray, or believe, but we still have to do that. As it says in James 4:2-3, we have not because we ask not, believe not, or ask with impure motives.

No man can save, sanctify, or perfect Himself. It is completely God's work. But when God calls, empowers, and moves in us, we have to respond to that call. God will not respond on our behalf. The next time God calls, climb a tree to go meet Him.