The God Who Seeks and Saves

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” 

Luke 19:10

Scripture Reading: Luke 19:1-10

Zacchaeus never expected to be noticed by Jesus. As a tax collector, he was an outcast, despised by his own people. He climbed a sycamore tree just to catch a glimpse of Jesus passing by. But Jesus saw him, called his name, and invited Himself into Zacchaeus’s life:

“Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” (Luke 19:5, ESV)

Jesus did not wait for Zacchaeus to find his way back. He sought him out, called him by name, and restored him.

Lent is a season of returning, but before we even turn, Jesus has already been searching for us. Luke 19:10 echoes the truth of Psalm 139:7-10 —there is nowhere we can go that is beyond God’s reach. No matter how lost we feel, Jesus is already near, seeking us, calling us by name.

Like Zacchaeus, we may hide—behind distractions, shame, or the fear that we are unworthy of His attention. But Jesus looks up into our lives, into our hearts, and says, “Come down. I must be with you today.” He does not wait for us to be perfect. He meets us where we are.

Lent is an invitation to stop running, stop hiding, and welcome Him. As Zacchaeus responded with joy and transformation, so too are we called to step down from our hiding places and walk in the light of His grace.

Prayer

Lord, we confess that we have hidden from You—out of fear, shame, or distraction. But You never stop seeking us. You call our names and invite Yourself into our lives, not to condemn but to restore. In this Lenten season, help us to respond with joy, surrender, and trust. Thank You for seeking and saving us. Amen.