Seekers September - Summary

So here we are at the end of the month. IT has been quite a month. I’ve experienced so much over the month that it’s not possible to remember everything that has happened. During the month I’ve only been at Stoke church for one Sabbath where other Sabbaths have seen me in Newport, home and Warslow. In this month I experienced my first stag do (as a participant, not the stag in question) and the honour of being a part of the crew of ushers at the wedding. I went to Scotland for the first time in my life. This was the month I started the teacher training course a significant step for me in fulfilling the call of God in my life.

I’ve had some wonderful times over the month and blog wise I’ve also been able to get out a fair number of entries out and been able to explore a bit the concept of seeking. Following Audio August, Seeking September really has got me stripping away everything to know what I desire more than anything else. For the next three months we as a church will be looking at the Sermon of the Mount which has at the heart of it a desire to seek the Kingdom of Heaven, see that kingdom manifest on earth, see it’s values and principles embedded not just in our minds or behaviours, but the core of our very being. It’s all about being centred on Christ, looking for him in everything and looking to be like Him in any given situation. So that requires Kingdom allegiance!

At a cell group session this evening we were looking at Job 42 and reviewing Job’s response to God’s responses to his calling out the Almighty to answer some questions. What I found fascinating about the scripture was not so much the recovery of Job’s loss. Not so much Job’s so called friends having to get Job to get them out of God’s wrath. These are all commendable parts of the story worth capturing in themselves. What was especially intriguing in terms of linking seeking to the sermon is the very first main point of the sermon.

Those who inherit the kingdom are those who acknowledge their absolute abject poverty before God, not in the material sense but in that sense that puts complete dependence on the creator of the universe. Job accepts that he cannot interrogate the Creator as if He has an obligation to answer our questions or He won’t get re-elected in the general election next year. Job’s act of repentance brings things back to the beginning where we are nothing but dirt and all we have we owe to His mercy. That’s why I seek Him because true riches are found in Him, not just material but the real riches of godly characteristics re-engaging us with the one who defines us and makes us whole.

That’s also part of the motive of the theme for the next month, but more on that in the morrow should the Lord spare our lives. In the meantime, thank God for the material blessings and great experiences, a loving family, brilliant church family and an amazing cast of friends and assorted extras that make my life what it is. Above and beyond all that thanks for Jesus Christ who allows me to enjoy these things in Him and to the Father who made me and continues to shape me in a pattern of His pleasing through good times and bad by His Spirit that lives in me. Thanks so much.

For His Name's Sake

Shalom

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