Seeking!

There are two choices for us this year and we see them side by side in the readings this last week.  Pastor Jeff Gunn blogged about it and talks about the stark contrast there is in the two paths we can take as followers of Jesus. One is a path that walks with Jesus, seeks him, follows him, obeys him.  This path is tough because it goes against everything that’s natural to us.  This is the path that God says is “blessed” (Psalm 1).

One is a path that seeks me, my desires (boy, that fruit sure looks good!), my wants.  It’s a path that’s way easy because it goes right along with everything that’s normal to us.  Yup, I said it. It’s normal and natural for us to do what God doesn’t want.  God identified that for us when he said, “Every inclination of the thoughts of humans is always evil all the time” (Genesis 8:21).  Easy as it is, this path leads only to destruction.  Sadly, this is the path the people of the past (and we) often want to walk.  Adam and Eve ate the fruit. Cain killed his brother.  Noah got drunk and his son laughed about it.  The world was so wicked God wiped almost everybody by a flood.

God had a choice too and it would have been absolutely just.  Destroy Adam and Eve in the garden the moment they tasted the fruit.  After all, he had said, “The day you eat of the fruit, you will die.”  Destroy Cain for killing his brother, after all God had warned Cain about it quite strenuously.  “Told you so,” he could have said.  But God went further.  I’ll make sure that you live a full and long life.  Yes, God did destroy the world by water.  But did you notice… how long did God wait before the flood came?  And did you know that Noah was a preacher during that time (cf. 2 Peter 2:5)?  God could have destroyed everyone and would have been absolutely just in doing it.

But. He. Didn’t!

Instead, he loved the world.  He loved Adam and Eve and gave them time to know his love and forgiveness.  He gave them ears to hear the promise of the Savior.  He loved Cain and made sure he had a long and full life so that he’d repent.  He loved the world and gave them time and a preacher so that they might believe.  God was patient.  God was seeking.

God is still the same today.  He still seeks us even when – especially when – we don’t seek him.  He chases us down in reckless abandon like a shepherd who leaves behind 99 sheep to go find one lost sheep; Jesus used that picture.  Absolutely crazy.  Bad business decision.  Leave 99 for the 1? But what about the 99?  But that’s the reckless abandon with which our God in heaven loves us and seeks us.  He seeks us passionately.  So passionately he sent his Son to settle the debt we owed him, the Father.

You’re probably reading this because you love your Father in heaven.  Take a moment today to ponder the way God sought you and found you.  Who did he put in your life so that you’d find him and know him?  Was it a parent? A friend? A spouse? A child?  How did you come to faith? Who did God use to seek you out and find you and put you on the path to heaven?  Thank God for those people today.

If you’re reading this because you’re seeking him, take a moment to consider the way that God is working in your life.  What people? What events? What struggles? What questions?   How is God working so that right now you’re seeking him? Know this.  God wants you to be his more than you could ever know, more than you would ever dare believe.  He gave up what was most precious to him (his Son Jesus!) so that you could be his.

Father in heaven, your patient and passionate pursuit is on display.  You never give up on your people; you haven’t given up on me.  You seek me daily. You sent your Son to die for me.  Thank you for the people you put in my life that have led me to you.  Thank you for the things that you’ve used to draw me to you.  Thank you for showing me your great love for me.  Help me to seek you every day all year long.

Note: There are no readings today. Today is a “catch-up day” on readings you might have missed. It is also a day to look back and consider and meditate on what God has taught you in the past readings.  If you ever have any questions or comments, post away!  I’d love to hear from you.