You will search for me. And when you search for me with all your heart, you will find me!There is an often used statement, which the above verse always brings to mind: "What consumes your mind controls your life."
It's a simple fact of life, the focus of our thoughts, controls our reality.
It's even a common refrain from self-help books, and websites. A litany of commands, and iteration on the concept of focus. They lead with the simple statement of "If you want something, the desire for it should consume you."
And from a certain point of view, they are correct. You find what you search for diligently. When you throw your all into the search, every facet of your being, and thoughts and soul into the hunt, you can succeed. When you go to bed every night, with thoughts of a goal in mind, and wake every morning with that same goal on your lips, you will find a way to make it to it. For good or ill.
That fact, that ability of focus is what this verse is talking about. It's God, telling us that He knows that we can hunt something with that single-mindedness. That we can focus upon Him, search for Him.
And when someone seeks the Lord in that way, they always find Him.
They find the prayer hearing God. The favor-bestowing God. The God who indulges those who have a strong relationship with Him.
Our God is a merciful God, granting us Grace and mercy, both in this world and the next.
But how should we seek Him? What is the correct way?
In John 14:23 Jesus says, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him" (NASB). This is a clear condition on the part of man, in how we are to approach God. We are to do so in obedience to His word.
Now, note that we live under grace. That is a gift from God that He bestows willingly to us. But God craves a relationship with us. He wants us to love him, as He loves us. Where a believer has true love for Christ in their heart, they will find obedience to the laws of Christ easy. Love is this overarching concept that is to dominate our lives, and where love is, His commands follows on.
So follow His commands, love one another, and keep your focus on God. Let that focus consume you.
Journal Prompt: What has your focus been on today? What did you go to sleep thinking about last night, and woke up considering this morning?
No comments:
Post a Comment