Seeking God Daily

There is a big difference between entrance into God’s forever family and actually living like one of the King’s kids. God sought us out when we had no hope and provided a way back to His love and blessings by sending us the ultimate gift, His one and only Son, Jesus. All you need to do is receive the gift in faith. To develop into a full-fledged family member, God now expects you to learn how to daily utilize His gift to you. All you need to do is  “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness …”  (Matthew 6:33). The kingdom is not a place, but a pesonal relationship with Jesus. The righteousness is the way Jesus thought, talked, and acted. Pursue Jesus and you’ll know exactly how your heavenly Father expects you to live as one of His children.

A lot of people want God in their life, but on their own terms. They want what they want from God when they want it and at other times they don’t want what God wants when He wants it. How crazy is that? That’s reducing God to be no more than a Jack in the Box and elevating man to be the master. Crank the song all the way and see Jack’s smiling face pop out and then stuff him back into the box when we’re tired of looking at him. Seeking and successfully finding God requires that we want what He wants all of the time. And what does He want? Turn to Him, trust Him, talk with Him, and treat Him with the honor He deserves. You’ll be amazed at all He has and wants for you.

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.”  (Hebrews 11:6)

I’m a three generation “hide and seeker”. Played it as a kid, played it with my kids, and now play it with my grandkids. Remember how the “it” person would cover their eyes, count to 100, yell “Ready or not, here I come!”, and then look here, there, and everywhere for their hidden playmates? When you seek God you don’t need to play a game. His eyes are already on you, He’s already counted and paid the cost with Jesus, He already knows when your heart is genuinely ready to look for Him, and He always wants to be found. It doesn’t get much easier than that; His eyes open to you, your  heart open to Him, and He opens the door to His kingdom.

 “For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him.”  (2 Chronicles 16:9)

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all of your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13)

Isaiah the prophet wrote that we should ”seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near”. Is he implying that God could get lost or move far away from us? No way!  Is he saying that we could lose touch with him and lose sight of him? You bet! Especially when we’re looking for him and pursuing him in the wrong places. Where are you looking for God? Jesus said that when you look and listen to him you will see and experience his father, God (John 14:9).  Have you checked out Jesus lately?

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith…” 

(Hebrews 12:2&3)

I love children. They are so literal and impressionable. In anticipation of Easter Sunday I asked the 3 and 4 year olds in one of our children’s church worship services why we celebrate Easter. There were the typical replies of bunnies, baskets, jelly beans and such but one response in particular stood out. A little blond beauty waved her petite hand at me and declared that Easter “is when Jesus was a flower”. Amused, I politely inquired of her where she had heard that Jesus was a flower. She looked at me with a sweetly emphatic expression and then reminded me and the rest of the class that I had told them that for three days Jesus was a rose.

This cute incident prompted me to remember something I had learned long ago but obviously overlooked in this case.  When talking to children, actually anyone, about God and Jesus and the Bible, don’t take for granted that they understand all or any of the Christian words that I might use. Jesus was the master of keeping things simple and clear so that even a child could understand his teachings. I need to heed his example more closely so that when I teach on his behalf, the message will be palatable for alert, youthful ears as well as those that have been hanging around awhile longer.

 I was driving home the other day listening to a Christian radio station when Michael W. Smith’s song, Above All, hit the airwaves. As it transitioned into the chorus I suddenly had a spiritual “aha” moment that connected the lyrics with the 4 year olds answer to my question. Check out these words:

Crucified
Laid behind a stone
You lived to die
Rejected and alone
Like a rose
Trampled on the ground
You took the fall
And thought of me
Above all

 Do you see it? Can you smell it? When Jesus was a flower…”like a rose”. When I consider a rose I see beauty, I see red (my personal favorite), I see someone wanting to express their heartfelt feelings for another by giving them a rose, I see my rose bush beginning to bud forth with new life that I will soon be able to enjoy, and I smell its’ intoxicating fragrance.

 When I consider Jesus I see the beauty of his thoughts, his words, and his actions. I see his red blood dripping from his hands, his feet, and his head to declare me innocent of sin. I see him giving himself to me as the ultimate expression of his love. I see him bursting forth from an empty tomb with new life so that I may enjoy life abundant and eternal. I smell the fragrance of his goodness being offered to me.

 “God made him (Jesus) who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”  2 Corinthians 5:21 

Next time I see a red rose I will smile and think of that little cutie in children’s worship. Then I’ll just bask in its beauty and thank God for that time when Jesus was a flower.