"Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory." Col. 3:1-4 NASBYou might remember from my last post that I shared a verse God is constantly bringing up in my life and conversations: "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you." (Matt. 6:33) Well, this past weekend, the conference I attended had this verse as a underlining theme - seek God passionately, faithfully, consistently. I sat in awe of God the entire weekend. It was a special reminder from God to keep seeking Him, which is a message my heart desperately needs to hear.
There are so many distractions. So many excuses. I have been telling myself that I am seeking God amidst all of life's flutterings, but God's Word has revealed my selfish motivations and infatuation with busyness. I look at the lives of the heroes in the faith, like Abraham and Paul who recklessly sought God's nearness and guidance, and compare their devotion to my own. Does it align? Or maybe touch the hem?
Ah, but God has set my heart on fire again with a passion to pursue Him at all costs. Whatever life holds or hides, may my heart learn this verse like a childhood lullaby, to seek Him faithfully above everything else. For Jesus came "that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel their way toward Him and find Him. Yet He is actually not far from each one of us..." (Acts 17:27-28)
I am reminded of how (now that I want to name him, I'm unsure, and I can't name a single verse!) one of the Apostles constantly bemoans the struggle of living here on earth. He wishes for the day he can join Christ in heaven so he doesn't have to struggle against his body, with its desires that make him disobey the Lord even when he wants to be obedient and pleasing to the Lord. He would repeatedly write to fellow christians to "be vigilant" against sin.
ReplyDeleteI guess what I am learning (or resisted knowing all along) is that there is no "auto-pilot" in regard to seeking, obeying, loving the Lord. It has to be done every second. Otherwise........danger.
When we seek God he brings more light like till its like a perfect day he says :Proverbs 4:18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
ReplyDeleteWhen i think i have learnt alot about God he brings new information,more inspiration more conviction.
I rememember we had a black out we would use our cell phones to find the lanterns ,candles then use candles to find lanterns.
Each man is given a measure of faith ,enough to find Jesus in some little way,then what he finds lead him to more and more ..
This will continue happening till Jesus return.
Amen Kasey
So, so true! Our pastor just preached this past week about seeking God, and challenged us to give up something we really like and use the time for Him instead. I'm going to be praying about that this week.
ReplyDeleteJillian, that is wonderful. There is NO auto-pilot in the Christian walk. We must continually seek the Lord. Thanks for pulling that out. :)
ReplyDeleteEarl, that is a great verse in Proverbs, and a wonderful truth you have discovered. That is so applicable right now for me. Thanks for sharing.
Kasie, so it is happening to you too! ;) I know I have been thinking about what things I have in my life that are not helping me seek the Lord. I guess we can be praying about this together. :)
Wow, that was an awesome post, Kaysie! I memorized the first 2 verses of Colossians 3 awhile ago, but it was good to read them again. It can be so hard to do everything for God's glory and to seek those things which are above, but it is soo worth it when we do!
ReplyDeleteJust this morning I was praying, and I was asking God to help me give Him all the glory and credit for everything I do, to be a good example and blessing to those around me, and to live my life for Him, not myself. I can already see a difference, and Lord willing, I'll be seeking God in the days, weeks, and months to come ;)
Wow -- I just read these verses this morning, and felt really convicted & refreshed by them. Then, when I logged onto the web, I saw this post in my collection of blog feeds, and decided to click on it (not knowing what it was). I was so surprised to find the same verses that I'd just been studying... it's so amazing to see God revealing the same things to you. Thank you for being open about your own struggles in this area -- your attitude has really inspired me. :)
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