September is for Seekers

I wonder if it’s safe to say you’re desperately seeking God? Things go in swings and roundabouts in my life and one of my greatest requests has been for a level of consistency. Still, I’m aware that as with nature we go through various seasons and it’s just about making the most of those seasons and seeing how you are to behave and learn from each. So for example like the Joseph principle to the Pharaoh it’s about saving up in the time of plenty for the inevitable time of lack.

Ever since April, as you may have gathered, it’s been a season for me of at least looking to have a more conscious awareness of the part Jesus plays in my whole life. I’m very much more interested in Him and following Him in the frail way I manage and His grace allows.

Recently I’ve posted about Audio August and how one of the things in that came out of the experience was a desire to focus more on God. In among all of those considerations I came across two familiar verses. The second one (in the order in which I got them) is this one,

And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" (Luke 11:9-13)

The real deal about the ASK model is almost an invitation to join God on a journey to discover Him and how that quest informs you on all that you need in life, especially when it’s clear that the main goal – the means and the end is Christ. The first part of the ASK model is verbal and conversational, but the second part takes it to active mode, where almost like a treasure hunt we look at the clues of what we’ve been instructed and we go looking. Because we are not looking for health, wealth, fame or those kinds of things, but something far greater – of eternal value, then we are assured that we will always find what we’re looking for. (That must be good news to U2 who apparently still haven’t found …)

This is not something to take complacently, but something to proactively engage in and move with, even as Jesus’ ministry was about movement. Just like the children of Israel who were guided by the pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night, we are always on the move being led by God into the eternal rest we can only find in him.

So motivated by the Spirit of God, every day we go seeking. Where is He today? What is He doing today? What are we invited to witness Him doing and engage with Him? Is it a kind word to a friend? Is it taking care of the children with a trip to the park? Is it by being diligent and attentive at a business meeting? Is it sharing a meal? Is it being patient in the middle of trying circumstances? Where is He? That doesn’t just go for the small stuff, but the bigger stuff as well. In all this as we search for Him, He assures us we find Him, however, this is where the first scripture comes into its own and this is the key verse that I intend to meditate on throughout this month and see what emerges in it as I do some serious seeking of my own.

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)

Now the KJV puts in a word in this verse that I love a lot and that word is diligently. Now why is that so important, well as I’ve mentioned before sometimes you’re up, sometimes you’re down and it’s not always possible to sustain that mood. This verse, though, and the concept of diligence says that not so much despite, but through these ups and downs I am still required to keep searching. In the searching the wisdom emerges. In the searching the peace settles any troubled mind. In the searching a sense of holy contentment is found in the sufficiency of Christ and holy discontent is there in the absence of Him in the lives and situations we come across daily. All in the searching.

So this month is about the seekers. Not airy fairy searching for something quaint spiritually to salve that sense of incompletion. Not the seeker who just wants to find out practical solutions to practical issues. This is about seekers who know that life is about Christ and that if we’re meant to be following Him it would help if we knew where He is on any given day at any given moment.

I hope to note down some of the findings in the search over the month and share them with you here. In the meantime feel free to conduct the search in your own way and see what comes up – this kind of seeking wasn’t designed to be a strictly individual thing especially if the fullness of Christ is to be found in His Body. Let’s go seeking together and see where He is today.

For His Name's Sake

Shalom

dmcd