One of my favorite Bible stories is found in Luke 19:1-10, it is the story of Zacchaeus, who was seeking to see Jesus and climbed a sycamore tree se he would be able to see him.
We do not know why Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus. He probably had heard about Jesus restoring the sight of a blind beggar by the name of Bartimaeus, which happened on the Jericho road not far from where Zacchaeus lived. He could have heard about Jesus telling about the good Samaritan who helped the man who was robbed and left behind the Jericho road. Perhaps it could be that Zacchaeus realized he was a sinner and needed forgiveness.
We do know that Zacchaeus was a sinner and needed forgiveness because in verse 9, Jesus said to him, “This day is salvation come to this house.” In verse 7, other people described him as a sinner. In verse 1, we learn that he was a publican and also a chief among the publicans and that he was rich. The main reason we know he was a sinner is that in Romans 3:23, the bible tells us that, “All have sinned and come short of the Glory of God.”
We are told in verse 3, that he was little of stature, or that he was much shorter than those who were gathered be the Jericho road wanting to see Jesus also. Zacchaeus must have remembered that the sycamore tree was beside the road and made his way through the crowd to get to it and climb it.
In verse 5, we find Jesus coming down the Jericho road and when He gets to the place where Zacchaeus is in the tree He looked up and saw him. I believe Zacchaeu’s thought at the moment would be, “He sees me.” Zacchaeus would learn at that moment that Jesus sees all, he was in the tree and Jesus had a large crowd around him and still could see a small man up a tree. Jesus still sees all.
The second thought I believe Zacchaeus has would be, “He knows me,” and comes when Jesus called his name. Jesus call his name as if He has known Zacchaeus all of his life, which is really true. Jesus knows all. He knew all about the woman of Samaria who came to draw water from Jacob’s well and after He told her about herself, she went and told the people of Samaria in John 4:29, “Come and see a man, which told me all things that ever I did.” Jesus did know Zacchaeus and He knows all about you and me.
The third thought I believe Zacchaeus had is, “He wants me,” and came after Jesus called his name and said, “Make haste, and come down; for today I must abide at thy house.” This statement would certainly make one feel like he was wanted. When we read John 3:16 and many other Bible passages we feel wanted by Jesus just like Zacchaeus did.
The fourth thought I believe Zacchaeus had is “He loves me.” Zacchaeus had to feel the love that Jesus had for him and know that Jesus was ready to forgive his sin and change his life because he began to confess and repent in verse 8, and state that he would make restitution for the wrong that he had done to any one. When one receives the love of God in his/her heart their life is changed and the love of God begins to flow through them to others.
Let us remember God sees all, knows all, wants all, and loves all and will bring salvation to all who seek him.

Edward Ganus is the pastor of Philadelphia Baptist Church and a member of the Andalusia Area Ministerial Association.