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The Imperative Visit Luke 19:1– 10; Habakkuk 1:1 – 4, 2:1 – 4 Do we believe that God breaks into our lives? Not just at those times we have read about – in Biblical tales, but have we had moments of being consumed by God when the world changes for us? Anne Tyler in Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant (New York: Berkley Books, 1983) writes about such a time. Pearl Tull is an old, blind, dying woman who lives with her son, Ezra. His job each day is to read to her from her childhood diary. Most of the entrees are dull and banal and she makes Ezra move quickly through them. Just before she died, Ezra read this entry: “Early this morning, I went behind the house to weed. Was kneeling in the dirt by the stable with my pinafore a mess and perspiration rolling down my back, wiped my face on my sleeve, reached for the trowel, and all at once I thought, ‘Why I believe that at just this moment I am absolutely happy.’” As Ezra read, his mother became silent and listened allowing him to continue. “The neighbor girl’s piano scales were floating out her window, and a bottle fly was buzzing in the grass, and I saw that I was kneeling on such a beautiful green little plant. I don’t care what else might come about, I have had this moment. It belongs to me.” That was the end of the entry. Ezra fell silent. “Thank you, Ezra,” his mother said. “There’s no need to read any more.” (p.284) Obviously Pearl Tull had remembered that foundational experience and wanted to re-live it before her death. Perhaps she wanted Ezra to hear about it as well. Those moments can be as simple as the one described by Anne Tyler – and as magnificent as those we often see captured in movies. But revelatory times when we know we are so absolutely in-tune with the whole of existence are God moments. We are realizing how desired and desirable we are…such that God has desired us into existence! LOVED US INTO LIFE!! What an incredible experience that is when it happens…pivotal to one’s life. No wonder, the old, dying woman of Tyler’s novel wanted to hear and remember the detail of that experience. Luke – our great Gospel storyteller – has given us another such tale. The Zacchaeus story is a popular one because children have learned songs about it and can somehow relate to not being able to see Jesus and therefore climbing up in a tree. Some of the regular conflicts to which Luke has made us accustomed are present in this story. Jesus was going to associate with folks considered unacceptable and that would cause the so-called acceptable folks to grumble. The ‘jewel’ of the story, however, is when Jesus looked up into the tree and said to Zacchaeus“hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.” Jesus didn’t say, ‘let’s talk’ or ‘how about meeting me after this parade is over’ (for remember there was a crowd around Jesus) or ‘could we make a dinner date?’ He said HURRY…I MUST stay at your house TODAY. English teachers…you know this is not an indicative statement. This is an imperative statement. There is an obligatory expression here…an essential command! Jesus knew the time was right and ripe for Zacchaeus. He knew that this imperative visit was about to change the man’s life. Certainly there were many people who did not have such an experience just being in the presence of Jesus. Thankfully, we have recorded some of those who did – not so we can revel in their wonder and beauty, but so we can be ready for such a time in our own lives…and give evidence to others about it happening to them. Zacchaeus – as a wealthy chief tax collector – wouldn’t have been the most likely to want to see Jesus. Sure, he was in the class of unacceptable folks – but not because of his poor health or poverty or social stigma. He was powerful. He was wealthy. He was in charge of the tax collections. And for some, unknown reason, he wanted to see Jesus…so much so that he climbed into a tree. Tree climbing for adults was – perhaps – a more acceptable behavior then, but it merely puts another edge of the imperative into this story. Seems like Zacchaeus was fairly desperate to see Jesus. He was yearning for this encounter. This was a God moment – when God desired Zacchaeus into a new existence. Zacchaeus had to feel beloved…had to know how much his life was being altered…and that moment would never be taken away from him. Sometimes these moments happen in our prayer life. Sometimes these moments happen when we give a gift of time or resource to another. Sometimes these moments happen when we see or hold a newborn baby…and the list goes on. One of our members said in a meeting recently (when we were talking about our choir) – ‘music has the capability of taking us into transcendence.’ A great worship service, incredible music, beautiful liturgy, personal or community discipline of prayer, outreach endeavors – all of those are vehicles…not ends in themselves – but avenues that we may traverse WITH THE POSSIBILITY that we will be ready and God will break through with an imperative visit. Once it happens, we will want it all the time. After a true God-event in our life, it will be hard to come down and deal with the normal. And so that is the aim of our time together in this sanctuary – not that our worship, liturgy, music, prayers or preaching is the ‘end’ – but that it takes us to the possibility of the encounter. That we will be taken into that God moment when we know so assuredly we are being loved by God into life. But we are not quite finished. Even though saying that the encounter is the end – the culmination – the ultimate completion – something else in Zacchaeus’ story challenges us. He didn’t just have a heart change. Zacchaeus’ encounter with Jesus brought true repentance into his life that then bore fruit. There are all sorts of scriptural and legal prescriptions for restitution when one has defrauded others. Tax collectors were known for fraud. If caught they were to give double the amount they had taken. Zacchaeus took it upon himself to quadruple whatever he had taken from others illegitimately. Additionally, however, he was going to give half of his estate to the poor – half of everything he owned?! So there are moments of transcendence…God moments…moments when the world seems to be perfectly in-tune with where we are and they can be wondrous times to savor, enjoy and long for. But the true imperative visits of God in our lives will also move us to do what is important in this world, what is pleasing and ordained by God, what will bring new life and possibility to all God’s children. The true imperative visit will redeem our past, transform the present and re-direct the future. May we long for those encounters – not just for the high they will bring but also for the redirection of our life following them. May we receive those pleasures as they are presented – not just for the moment of exultation, but because knowing that we are desired into existence by God; and that is the most important experience possible in our life. May you be ready, and hungry, and yearning for the imperative visit…when God says “Hey, hurry over here, I must be with YOU, today!” • SW |
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