WHEN the Lord Jesus was here on earth, He was going along a road one day, surrounded by ever so many people, when a man ran out of the crowd and climbed up into a tree. What was it this man wanted? He wanted to see Jesus, and as he was a little man, he could not look over the peoples' heads, and so he got up into the tree, because he heard that Jesus was going to pass that way.
Presently the Lord came to the tree in which the man was; it was a sycamore, which has long branches and large leaves which grow very thickly together. Jesus stopped, and looked up. Hark, He speaks to the man. What does He say? You recollect that the man wanted to see Jesus.
“Zacchæus, make haste and come down; for to-day I must abide at thy house."
How pleased the man must have been to have such a visitor! He received Jesus joyfully.
It is very happy for us to be sure that Jesus knows when anyone wants to see Him. He read the heart of Zacchæus, and thought of him among the hundreds of people who crowded around Him, but many of whom, alas, did not care to see Him in their hearts.
Do any of you want to see Jesus? He is in heaven now, yet we can come to Him, though we cannot see Him with our eyes. We have to believe what He says, just as a little girl once believed her father, though she could not see him. He was in a dark cellar, and she wanted to go to him, and he told her to jump and he would catch her. She said, " But it is so dark, father, I cannot see you." But at her father's word she jumped, and he caught her in his strong arms.
Dear little ones, trust the words of the Lord Jesus, though you cannot see Him, as the little girl trusted her father's word. He died on the cross, that by His precious blood He might wash away all the sins of every one who comes to Him. All who believe on the Lord will soon be with Him, not only for a little while, like the man was who wanted to get a look at Jesus, for presently Jesus will fetch them to be with Him forever. S. E.