An Earnest Seeking
Shereen and I were very blessed to spend some time in London at the end of 2022, we stayed with my uncle and really enjoyed ourselves there for a few weeks.
Not Seeking God
But what was sad for me was the empty churches. I remember on Christmas Day we went to a Church of the Nazarene, but it was empty. It was closed. And then on Christmas Eve, we had gone to Central Methodist Hall, the great big famous church across from Westminster Abbey. It was empty as well. There were maybe 20 people, and we worshiped in a small little chapel on the side instead of the big famous auditorium!
Speaking to a few local ministers there, I got the sense that church is seen as an outdated institution to many, in that part of the world. And it reminded me of when I went with the band to America seven years ago and the pastor of the Baptist church that we ministered at there said to us, “Americans don't feel any need for God because their material needs are all met. They don't see any need for anything else.”
Bible people seeking God
The people in Bible times didn't feel that way. David said this in 1 Chronicles 16:11 “Glory in (God's) holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Look to the Lord and His strength. Seek His face always.”. And the Psalms are full of such language about seeking God - Psalm 27:8 says, “My heart says of you, ”Seek His face!” Your face, Lord, I will seek.” My favorite I think is Psalm 63, which opens with the words “You God are my God, earnestly I seek you.” And I guess most of you know Jeremiah 29:11, that famous verse “I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord.” Well, the two verses that follow that say this: “Then you will call on me and come and pray to me and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” And one more scripture today, the words of Jesus himself - remember these in Matthew 6? “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you.”
Seeking Something Deeper
See, friends, you can have all your material things sorted, but there's something deeper. There's something more important in life than just efficiency and material provision. There's a spiritual element to life that you can either ignore like some do, or you can choose to seek it. Question today: what are you seeking? What are you seeking most in life? Are you seeking God above all?
A Radical Call
Did you see those words in those verses - the writers were saying, “I will always seek God. I will earnestly seek God.” I’ll seek Him “with all my heart” or “seek him first”. That's quite radical, not just interest in God, but a radical seeking after Him.
I want to commit today to seeking God, seeking God, and I hope you'll join me.
Let's put him first friends! And whether we have our material needs met or not, let's seek after God first, because it's in friendship with Him above all that we find life's meaning.
