Want to know God?

Want to know God?

Forest Lake Baptist Church, Tuscaloosa

If the question is “Do you want to know God?” well, who doesn’t? Has there ever been a person who did not want to know for sure that God exists? And has there ever been a person who was convinced that God existed who did not also want to know Him as you would a close friend? Mankind has debated the subject of whether or not God is real. And for those of us who are convinced that God exists, we may continue to struggle to discover or define a way to personally connect with Him.

Luke 19 tells about the experience of a man named Zacchaeus who wanted to connect with God. When Jesus passed through his town one day, Zacchaeus went out of his way to meet Jesus. The Bible does not tell us Zacchaeus’ agenda that day, just that he wanted to get closer to Christ. Surely he had heard of the mighty miracles of Jesus, or perhaps the astounding sermons Christ delivered. Whatever the case, his hunger to know God drove him to abandon cultural norms. Running ahead, he scurried up a nearby tree to get a better look. Too short of stature to see over the crowd, Zacchaeus reached up, grabbing limb after limb until he perched above the masses.

Then one of the most surprising things happened: Jesus stopped and spoke to Zacchaeus. No one in the crowd expected that a respected Jewish rabbi like Jesus would give any attention to such a man as this. After all, Zacchaeus was a tax collector. But Jesus challenged the man to come down from the tree and take Him home. Zacchaeus wanted to be closer to God, but probably thought because of his sins that he was disqualified. In response to Jesus’ challenge, Zacchaeus welcomed Jesus gladly into his heart and his home.

Do you want to know God? If the answer is “yes,” then the experience of Zacchaeus can be yours. All you have to do is welcome Jesus into your life. The apostle John explained it this way in John 1:12: “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.”