Years ago a group of Persian astrologers set out on a quest. Somehow in their research, they had seen a “sign in the heavens” in the East. An extraordinary event was taking place – the birth of a king – and they wanted to find Him. So in that familiar Christmas story, they found the child (not baby) in His house (not manger), and bowed low and worshipped Him.
Here’s a thought. What if the worship didn’t actually begin when they knocked on the door? What if it commenced when they started seeking in the first place?
I believe it did.
The Old and New Testaments are packed with references to seeking – especially seeking the Lord. One of my favorite verses calls us to “seek the Lord while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near” (Isaiah 55:6).
Or how about this one: “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13).
Jesus invited us to “ask, and you will receive. Seek and you will find” (Matthew 7:7).
David sang to the Lord, “This is the generation of those who seek Him, Who seek Your face” (Psalm 24:6). Wouldn’t it be nice if we could say that about this generation?
What are You Looking For?
I hear that a lot, and for good reason. Seems I’m always looking for something. Somebody with too much time on their hands once figured out that the average adult spends 8 months of their lives looking for something they can’t find.
Guess I’m not average.
Whether it’s looking for lost keys or looking for lost faith, for you to embark on a search says something about you. About your values. About your faith and hope and yes, love.
That. That is why the Lord invites you to seek Him. To seek the Lord says something about you, even as you are saying something about the Lord.
The Heart of the Seeker
At the heart of every search is a goal. I don’t look for my keys in order to make jingling noises or hold specially-carved slivers of metal or electronics in my hand. I look for my keys because I want to go somewhere, and a locked door or ignition switch is standing in my way.
The same goes for seeking the Lord. This isn’t a vain religious exercise or ritual we’re talking about here. It’s an acknowledgement that He is the gateway to all you want most to pursue or experience.
Happiness? Seek the Lord.
Love? Ditto.
Fulfillment, or an abundant life? That, too. That’s why Jesus referred to Himself as the door for the sheep.
A Confession of Need
To look for something is to admit I don’t have it. And to seek the Lord is to come to grips with the fact that no matter how long I have walked with Him, I still have so far to go. My inadequacy and insufficiency drive me to search His face, His mind, His heart, His power.
A Journey
Searching is the embarkation on a journey. It may be a journey of a few seconds, or the journey of a lifetime. But searching implies movement. Nobody ever searched and snored at the same time. Sluggards and sloths need not apply. And if you think you’ll find what (or who) you’re looking for in the deepest sense without at least a little (brace for dirty word) change, you’re wrong.
Rearrangement of our Schedules
Searching involves the rearrangement of our schedules, or even our lives. When nobody can find the phone, the pacifier, or the keys, life stops. And sometimes it’s a rude interruption that doesn’t really care if you’re late for lunch or missing a class. Seeking the Lord involves the same thing. Adjustments. Changes to the agenda. Sometimes even a shutdown of every other plan. Remember when Jacob literally pushed all his life away in order to have a meeting with God? His life – and agenda – were never the same.
A Demonstration of Value
Seeking is a demonstration of value. I want it enough to look for it. But values are tricky, because they’re measurable. More than once the Lord has pressed in on me: How badly do you want it? If I go off one frosty morning into the woods, shotgun in hand, looking for a moving squirrel or a deer and don’t find one within a couple of hours, I’m done. But I know people who would sit on a deer stand hour upon hour, as many days as possible? Why? Because what I tinker with, they love. And love always drives the search deeper. You think that has anything to do with why you are sometimes like Jacob, and “will not let Him go until He blessed you?” Or why sometimes you are like Esau, and would trade your birthright for next-to-nothing?
A Statement of Faith
Searching is a statement of faith. You are acting on the belief that something or someone missing can be found. And here I have good news. Even though there are those “dark night of the soul” seasons, God doesn’t play games with His kids. He promises to reveal Himself to the one who searches for Him with all their hearts.
An Expression of Love
Searching is an expression of love. When you love someone or something deeply, you explore. You dig deeper. You watch. You ask questions. Often there is no other deliverable than the sheer delight of discovery. But discovering Him is more than enough.
To worship the Lord…
is to search for Him. And as often as that may take you inside a church, it will inevitably lead you outside the church walls as well. You can find Him most clearly in His word. You can find Him in the ways He reveals Himself through creation. You can find Him in the way the Holy Spirit gifts others to minister to you. You can find Him in the simple faith of a child, or the sage wisdom of an older saint.
Today, make your ovation an all-out search for the heart of your Eternal Beloved. You can find Him everywhere, so long as you are searching – and worshiping – with a pure heart.
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