What If We Seek God First?
I have a confession to make, I am notorious for not being able to find things like my keys or wallet. Typically, it is because I cannot remember where I last had them. Several years ago, my wife purchased tracking devices which I can attach to my wallet, keys, or anything I don’t want to lose. It has helped me immensely. Another confession I want to make is that sometimes I have a hard time seeing God in my life. It is not like I have lost God, nor do I think God can be lost to us, but that I have lost my vision. How does that happen?
It is not uncommon for us, as Christians, to journey through seasons where we have lost passion or motive for connection with God. I find that it is often rooted in some sort of discontent with life or even with God. If this describes you right now, I want to encourage you to keep looking, to keep seeking. God is not angry with you. God is not impatient. God does not pout. Instead, God is waiting for you to seek him once again.
Nehemiah is one of many examples in scripture of someone seeking God in times of doubt and trouble. In the story of Nehemiah, Nehemiah is an Israelite official serving in the Persian Government when he hears about the ruined state of his beloved Jerusalem. He has heard about its walls crumbling down and is very saddened by it. He prays to God and then gets permission from the Persian King Artaxerxes to go to Jerusalem to repair them. Artaxerxes grants him permission and even sends with him resources to rebuild the wall. Upon Nehemiah’s arrival, however, he is met with opposition from the people of Jerusalem. Now when many of us would be ready to throw in the towel, Nehemiah doesn’t. Instead, Nehemiah seeks a spiritual renewal for not only himself but also the people of Jerusalem and the exiles. The story ends with a great celebration over Jerusalem and the rebuilt walls… well, not really. There is a celebration and the walls do get rebuilt, but the people eventually return to their old ways. Nehemiah is upset by all of this but the book ends with him praying to God to remember that at least he tried.
Why did I share with you this story from scripture? Well, I believe this story is a prime example of what happens in our lives when we make our focus to seek God first. When Nehemiah and the people of Jerusalem address the issue of their hearts, they begin to move in a right direction. However, when they become self-centered they lose that direction and return to a city once again falling apart.
In early Methodist days we used to regularly ask one another, “How is it with your soul?” Because we knew that it was a much deeper question than “How are you?” Answering it forces us to take a good look at our lives. Am a living the life that God wants for me? What am I doing that gets in the way of nurturing my soul? If you can’t find God right now, maybe the question you need to ask is “what I am doing or not doing to bring my soul joy?”
In God’s Grip,
Pastor Chuck Church
