Seek and Find
You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13
Church is fun. What a wonderfully true statement! We get to see our dear friends, sing some sweet songs, pray for peace and others, hear a powerful, Bible-based message, let the world drift away for an hour and then go home. That’s what church is all about, right?
All of that is very true but it’s not the church I want! Let all that be just an introduction to the coming week. What would happen if we used all those ingredients and poured them into the upcoming week? I’m just asking.
We come to church without any expectations. Perhaps we yell at the kids or speak harsh words to our spouse in the parking lot before we exit the car. But of course, our response to friends is this: “I’m great. Doing well.” Really? Not only is our personal atmosphere polluted but we’ve also just lied. But… “I’m good!” Heaven forbid, we respond with something like this: “I’m really in a crappy mood. Just leave me alone.”
After affixing the plastic smile to our faces, we make our way into the sanctuary but not before being bombarded with all kinds of committee questions. Our thoughts might be, “Why did I ever agree to be on that team in the first place. Today is not the day to hit me with all that stuff. I just want to sit here quietly. Please God, let me find some quiet time.”
Music begins, and it…well, it takes the chill from our hearts. Suddenly, we find ourselves singing along. The service moves along. And then comes the sermon, Mending Broken Fences. The pastor begins by saying this task will never be successfully completed without His help. Seek Him with all your heart and then He will be found.
Apologies are not enough, maybe they are a second step but certainly not the first. Our hearts are now half sorry and only half moody. Yet, this Bible verse, the primary verse for the message, says we will find Him when we seek Him with all our hearts.
Maybe the takeaway wasn’t about mending fences after all. Perhaps it was more about a seek and find opportunity that offers instructions for the mending.
Loving Lord, thank You for Your Holy Spirit that speaks to our hearts. Give us the desire to seek You in everything we say, and teach us to always seek You first. AMEN.