Do you know that God delights in us seeking Him? The Word says that God is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him (Heb. 11:6b). As we seek God with our whole heart He will be found of us. (Jer. 29:13) says: And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
I loved playing hide and seek as a child. It was especially fun the closer it got to being dark outside. When I was growing up the whole neighborhood was our back yard so there were a lot of hiding places. We would try to make some reasonable boundaries of course for everyone. Those were different days then. The neighbors didn't mind when children would play in their yards, and all of them looked out for every one's children. Wow! I am giving away my age now, it's really sad to see how far we have come. Well that was just a side bar. Now to get back to playing hide and seek. Like I said it would get more fun the closer it got to being dark. Things would get pretty tough then. At this point the seeker would sometimes pull out a flashlight and he/her would begin shining the flashlight at certain objects just be sure there wasn't someone hiding there. Sometimes the seeker would sneak up on the hider and shine the flashlight just in time to tag them and now they were it. But most of the time the one hiding would sneak out of his/her hiding place just in time and make it to the home base before the seeker could catch him. Those were some good memories.
Now that I am an adult I have found it very exciting to seek God. What's so awesome about seeking God is that He gives us a flashlight as well. I like to refer to God's flashlight as the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit "flashlight" will never fail in leading us directly to God. He will never leave us groping in the dark. The Holy Spirit will reveal the truths of God to us. He is always faithful in letting us in on the secrets of God and seeing things that we didn't notice without the flashlight. He brings things to light. Of course this is God's plan and how He prefers things to be. What's so great about seeking God is that when we finally find Him He doesn't run away. He just smiles real big and says, "see, I knew you could find me if you sought me hard enough."
What happens when we seek God with our whole heart and find Him? As the Word says, He will reward us. What is our reward? I believe it is the Holy Spirit who is given to us to teach us the deeper things of God. Of course it all begins with His son Jesus. Rewards of salvation and eternal life is our final destination in and through Christ Jesus. But as we grow in Christ by the power of His Holy Spirit within us we are rewarded with revelation and truths about God that the natural man cannot understand because it is spiritually discerned by the Spirit of God. Therefore we are rewarded with the mind of Christ by and through the power of His Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 2: 10-16).
And as we are faithful with the truths of God that have already been given to us, then God will give us more revelational truths. The seeking doesn't end it continues. In the beginning we walk to find the truths, then as we find more truths we break into a run because we are excited to find them and want even more. God just smiles so proud and continues to reward us. For unto everyone that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath (Mt. 25:29). We don't want to find ourselves in the latter part of that verse. If you read prior to verse 29 it is the parable of the talents. Our Father God has given us the gift of His Holy Spirit by and through His Son Jesus because of the finished work of the cross. Which is more precious than any talent. We don't want to make light of this and find ourselves in the same shoes as the unprofitable servant that when the Master returns all we have is some lame excuse for our wickedness and laziness. We won't be able to say: I just chose to ignore/bury my convictions and the things pertaining to God. This is not going to hold water my friend. In that day those who try to give lame excuses will find themselves cast into the outer darkness where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
If you are a God seeker, then you will be like unto the faithful servants who took their talents and made more for their Master. You will take very seriously the things pertaining to God. You will be one who is hungry for the things of God. You will not make light of the Truths of God. When your spirit man is checked and there is a red flag that pops up and says, STOP! Wait a minute! Don't do that! Don't go there! Will you be as the good servants and listen and be faithful with what God has given you via His Holy Spirit in you, or will you do as the unfaithful servant did? It is your decision.
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I , that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you. (Jn. 16: 13-15).
6 comments:
When your spirit man is checked and there is a red flag that pops up and says, STOP! Wait a minute! Don't do that! Don't go there!
I am far from perfect, but the red flag from God has kept me out of a lot of trouble in life.
Russ:)
Happy Weekend, Tammy and family.
As we truly seek Him, we will become more like Him.
That is what is truly required of us because as we become more like Him, we will act like Him
You are blessed and highly favoured
Hi Tamela,
Nice touch with the 'God given flashlight'.
I do believe that we must seek. When I was researching the doctrines of the church. A friend of mine asked, "If we are to seek righteousness that must be perfected in holiness,before there is everlasting life, why didn't Jesus say it?" And so, I had more researching and writing to do. Click on this link and save it for when you have about ten minutes, Why Didn't Jesus Say It? . I wrote this as I saw it as an answer to the inevitable qustioning of 'Righteousness unto Holiness' doctrin.
What a cute photo.
And what an enjoyable article.
Many years ago, we were playing lazer tag in the street at night in Miami. Hispanic neighbors who were having a party, with many people standing outside and talking, saw me with my "gun," and they started yelling, "He's got a gun!" They were freaking out, and thought the gun was real.
Another time, we were playing lazer tag in the Florida Everglades at night. You couldn't see your hand in front of your face, and we dared not use flashlights, or your opponent would see you. We had to be careful not to run into trees or step on a snake or an alligator. The whole time, you could hear the wildlife all around you, including gators chewing up things and making other noises. It was a bit scary.
Another time, we were playing a variation of hide and seek at night, in Ocala, and I was laying down in a wooded area. My arms, neck and face were covered with biting mosquitoes, but they were close to me, looking for me, so I dared not move. That was torture, being bitten so much. I also wondered if any of the mosquitoes might be carrying HIV or some other disease.
So often, my tendency is to think, "I don't want to read my Bible. It's so boring." Yet, the Bible is a storehouse of endless treasure for the saved person, and, no matter how many times we read or study it, we can always be shown new gems of truth by the Holy Spirit (the Holy Spirit is our Teacher, and every Christian is indwelt by the Holy Spirit, Who is our engagement ring, so to speak). I also believe that the way a Christian becomes filled with the Holy Spirit is by spending personal, intimate time with God, in prayer, worship, and/or studying His Word, until He fills up your thoughts, your mind, and your spirit. Then, you become empowered by Him and led by Him in all that you do and think. The moment you sin, however, the Holy Spirit is quenched, and you have to confess your sins (1 John 1:9), but then the process can start all over again, once the relationship is restored.
The Bible tells us, "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." Trust in God's Word. We shall never go wrong. Grace and Peace to you my friend. Another beautiful and inspirational writing from you! Love you.
You brought back some wonderful memories of my small town boyhood. We played hide 'n' seek a lot in the evening dusk and dark, lit only by the flickers of lightening bugs. (I have no fear of revealing my age, it's 67). Up and down and around the block, with no complaint from neighbors, just their watchful eyes. A lot has changed, including less fireflies.
Between the children game and knocking on the door, i did a lot of hiding from God. But God is patient and when you hide, He becomes the seeker. Home base is free, he calls, if you would come from your hiding places and take your turn at seeking me. He works so different from the logic of us. When we hide, he seeks us out and when we seek him, it is we who are found.
The flashlight is an apt reference. The Lord is like a flashlight in this dark world and it is only in His beam we truly see.
Larry
Post a Comment