You’ve Never Gone Unnoticed by God - Daily Hope with Rick Warren - December 29, 2025

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“Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” Luke 12:6-7 (NIV)

No matter how insignificant you feel, you can always be sure that Jesus notices you.

Zacchaeus was a very wealthy man, but he was also very lonely. He was very short and had probably been ridiculed his entire life for it. He was also a tax collector, which means everybody hated him.

When he heard Jesus was coming to his city, Zacchaeus wanted to see him. But there was one problem: A lot of people wanted to see Jesus that day, and Zacchaeus couldn’t see over the crowd, because he was too short.

So Zacchaeus did two things no wealthy, self-respecting man of his time would have done: First, he ran ahead of the crowd, and then he climbed up in a tree. But Zacchaeus didn’t seem to care what other people thought of him in that moment. He was just hoping to see Jesus.

Then Jesus did something even more shocking when he got to the tree Zacchaeus had climbed. The Bible says, “When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up” (Luke 19:5 NIV).

In a packed crowd, Jesus paused and paid attention to Zacchaeus. 

Can you imagine how Zacchaeus’ heart must have been racing? He was just hoping for a glimpse of Jesus, and suddenly Jesus had stopped and looked up straight at Zacchaeus. The man who had been overlooked his whole life had Jesus’ full attention.

I don’t know what you’re going through right now. You may feel like you’re up a tree financially. You may feel like you’re out on a limb relationally. You may feel like you’re in a hole spiritually—and nobody even knows you’re there. 

But Jesus knows where you are, and he’s paying attention to you. He notices you. There’s never been a moment of your life when God has taken his eye off you.

The Bible says that sparrows are sold for two pennies, “yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows” (Luke 12:6-7 NIV).

Do you feel all alone right now? You’re not! God is not a million miles away. He is paying close attention to you. God notices you because you matter to him.

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Rick Warren is an innovative pastor, renowned author, and global influencer known for founding Saddleback Church, the Purpose Driven Network, the PEACE Plan, and Hope for Mental Health. He has written several best-selling books, including The Purpose Driven Life, which has sold over 35 million copies in 200 languages. Time magazine named Warren the most influential spiritual leader in America and one of the 100 most influential people in the world. Since stepping down from the lead pastor role at Saddleback in 2022, Warren has continued to inspire people through his Daily Hope Devotional and podcast Pastor Rick’s Daily Hope. His first book in a decade, Created to Dream, was released in April 2023.

For more Daily Hope with Rick Warren, please visit pastorrick.com!

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This devotional © 2018 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

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