Sunday, May 31, 2015

No Longer Seeking, But Seeing More of Him

"Wise men still seek him".

I had commented yesterday about this idea in many Christians circles, that we are called to seek God and desire Him.

Indeed, Jesus did say:

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6: 33)

Context is key in this passage, for Jesus was not preaching to those who needed the Savior, but to fans in awe of his celebrity:

"4And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them. 25And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan." (Matthew 4: 24-25)

He was also speaking to people who saw Him as an example to imitate:

"1And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: 2And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying," (Matthew 5: 1-2)

All of this falls into place further when we see what Jesus did for a leper, someone who wasn't looking for a celebrity or a teacher, but a Savior:

"1When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. 2And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. 3And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them." (Matthew 8: 1-4)

Today, we need to see Jesus our Living Savior, not try to seek Him, but rather know that He seeks us and cares for us:

"I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name." (Isaiah 65: 1)

Which Paul repeats to the Romans (and to all of us Gentiles who have been grafted into the Body of Christ):

"24Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
25As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.
26And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God." (Romans 9: 24-26)
 
So, today we are not called to seek Him, but rather see more of Him, in that we see all that He is doing for us:
 
"16That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 17That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God."" (Ephesians 3: 16-19)
 
and then
 
"But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen" (2 Peter 3: 18)
 
and thus
 
"I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning." (1 John 2: 14)
 
Maturity in the Body of Christ is not based on how hard you seek Jesus, but rather that you know how much He loves you, is gracious to you, and has been with you from the beginning.

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