Fear No Fear

(All scripture from Lexham English Bible, Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software)

“And when he came to the place, Jesus looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down quickly, because it is necessary for me to stay at your house today!””

Luke 19:5

Every society has its outcasts. People who don’t meet the standards of the group, for whatever reason. Sometimes they are decent reasons – the horrible behaviour of people. Sometimes they are extremely foolish reasons – their racial or cultural background doesn’t match. And the rest of the reasons are in between. Sometimes it isn’t even their fault – like many homeless people. Political, personal, financial, educational, and religious, there are always ‘reasons’ why the outcasts aren’t acceptable to the herd. We can add another layer to that with personality and physical traits. Smaller than most. Fatter than most. Skinnier than most. Quieter than most. Shyer than most. Different interests than most. The list can be almost endless. Societies as a whole ALWAYS have a way to marginalize someone. But Adonai is the God who SEES.

Ruach HaKodesh is the power of the Father on Earth. He is here living inside believers and hovering around unbelievers. He is shining LIGHT on all of us. Each and every one of us. To make sure that we are SEEN. Not superficially seen, but REALLY seen. Right down to the socks our hearts wear. “Every way of a man is upright in his own eyes, but Yahweh weighs heart” (Proverbs 21:2). This doesn’t mean Adonai is looking at what we have carved for ourselves as an identity or how we think He made us. This is Adonai looking at who we really are (whether we know who that is or not), deep down inside our actual selves. This is also Adonai looking at how we are treated, where our position is in society, and everything that we go through – good and bad. He is looking at the silly and the serious. He is looking at what makes us laugh and what makes us cry. He is looking at US. The us we hide from others. The us we let others see. The us we pretend to be. Adonai is looking at ALL of it. And He is loving us. He is NOTICING us. He is PAYING ATTENTION.

Ruach HaKodesh told Jesus about an outcast. A man whose job was hated by the people around him. A man who was short and not given respect. A man who was looked on as less than. Ruach HaKodesh didn’t regard that as the truth. He saw beyond that. No, He would not have approved of any cheating. No, He would not have approved of a negative attitude. No, He would not have approved of Zacchaeus getting revenge on how the people treated him. Those were all things Zacchaeus DID. They weren’t who he WAS. And they certainly weren’t who he COULD BE. Adonai’s love doesn’t judge. It also doesn’t deny that change needs to be made for us to align with Him. Jesus is that change. Jesus provides that reconciliation. It’s what Zacchaeus needed. And Ruach HaKodesh made sure to bring Jesus’ attention to this man. So that Jesus ALSO saw him. Not only saw him, but made a way for them to get to know one another – which is what Zacchaeus wanted (Luke 19:3).

No one else treats us like Jesus does. No religion treats us like Jesus does. People jump on all kinds of bandwagons and political stances without understanding the reality behind some of the movements in the world. Some movements in the world talk a good talk, but if you look closely you also can see that they don’t hide their hatred for others – people who don’t hold the same ideals and beliefs. More than that, they have given themselves permission to torture, punish, and kill those they hate. But that’s not what gets publicized. It never has been and it never will be. You really have to scrutinize to see it. Jesus is the ONLY one who EVER passes intense scrutiny. Because when you look really, REALLY close, you see that Jesus makes a way for us to avoid all the negative that exists. He didn’t MAKE us fall. Sin was NEVER the plan. But REDEMPTION was. RECONCILIATION was. GRACE and MERCY were. Jesus wants to cut through all the layers that we put up around ourselves and show us what HE sees. The real us. The one He created us to be. And He also shows us the way to embody that. To return to that. To become what He always wanted us to be.

Ruach HaKodesh points us out to Jesus and points Jesus out to us, because we are meant to be together. We were CREATED to be together. Humanity has throughout the ages held to a concept of having a soul mate. It’s had various names and slightly different traditions, but at the core is the idea that there are two halves to every whole. We are one half and out there walking the planet is our other half. The mate of our soul. In truth, humans do not have human soul mates. What we have is a place inside us reserved for Jesus. HE is our other half. HE is our better half. HE is our soul mate, our bridegroom, our partner. He is what makes us whole. He is who completes us. No matter where we are put by society. No matter their opinion of us. No matter where we hide or what guise we put on. He SEES us. And He works tirelessly to get us together with Jesus so that we can be who we are meant to be. So that we can know Him even as we are known. Seen. Bottom to top and inside out. Perfect fellowship in and through Jesus.

Daily Affirmation of the Goodness of Elohim: Psalm 84:11

“Because Yahweh God is a sun and a shield; Yahweh gives grace and honor. He does not withhold good from those who walk blamelessly.” I think Adonai has a blessing zone. A place where He wants us to inhabit so that He can bless us. Not because He can’t bless us anywhere (Matthew 5:45). Because we need to be in that place to receive. We cannot receive from Adonai when we aren’t looking at Him, have our arms full of junk, and are running around like maniacs. We need to be still (Psalm 46:10). We need to be looking to Him (James 4:8-10). We need to be receptive (Hebrews 11:6). When we are in that place, the riches of His blessing are poured out to us. When we extend our cup for Him to fill, He fills it. He is the light we see by. The food we eat. The water we drink. He has it all for us. Ready for us. All we need to do is be hungry for it, seek for it, and turn to Him for it. If we will seek Him, we find Him. If we study the Word, Ruach HaKodesh speaks to us about it. If we slow down and let Him be our Source, if we rest in Him, we will NOT be disappointed. He NEVER fails. He ALWAYS hears those who are truly seeking Him. He ALWAYS answers. What a GOOD God!

Your Daily Confession of Elohim’s Goodness:

I taste and see that Yahweh is good; I am blessed because I take refuge in Him.

Psalm 34:8