PURSUING GOD
Psalm 27:1-4
How did you do with your homework from last week? How did what you wrote as important line up with how you’re living? I trust that your response was to ask the Lord to help you put things in the right order.
(Show movie clip from National Treasure)
All of us are seekers. Within all of us there are those things which we desire. We all have goals and dreams. And, we are all hopeful that those dreams will one day come true.
What is it you seek? Are the things that you seek worth seeking? Did you realize that some of the things we seek are not be the Lord’s will for us?
Some of those things we seek may be harmful to us if we were to obtain them. So, we must evaluate what we seek in light of the worthiness of that thing.
The fact is that all of us are involved in the living of life. Have you noticed that in the process things don’t always go smoothly. The road of life has a lot of speed bumps and potholes. As I’ve made my way in life, I’ve found that some things which I thought were important no longer seem so important. I realize that there is more to life than meets the eye.
All of us struggle and have problems. Everywhere people are hurting and are in need. Sadly, the answers that the world gives to meet those needs are only shallow substitutes of the real thing. It is the real thing that people need. That is what you and I need to seek. That is our priority this morning. To seek that which makes life worth living.
King David was a man fully involved with the affairs of life. He had enjoyed great success in his life, yet that success brought with it problems. David had personal, family problems, as well as other people problems. On more than one occasion there were people who were set against him, seeking to take his life.
David knew what it was to struggle with the serious issues of life. But he also knew what was important in life, what to seek. David writes a song in which he explains life’s most important priority. Follow with me as we read from Psalm 27.
The Lord is my light and my salvation — whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life — of whom shall I be afraid?
When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall.
Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident.
One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple. Psalm 27:1-4
The focus of our search
What should be the focus of our search? It should be the same thing that David was seeking, and that was a relationship with God. Above everything else, David desired to be in the presence of God. He knew that he could find strength in God’s presence. He knew that, In his presence there is fullness of joy.
From the story behind this Psalm we know that David had been facing some difficult circumstances. There were those who were against him, who opposed everything he did, and did not want to see him in any position of rule in the kingdom.
Because of this they waged a war against him and fought him constantly. Some of his opposition was incredibly strong, enough to cause any man to be afraid. You could say that David was under a good deal of stress.
Yet in the midst of this, he knew where to turn. He knew that in God’s presence, he would find the strength and spiritual stamina he needed to face these trying situations.
This is an important lesson for you and me. We must also realize that it is only in God’s presence where we find the strength to face the affairs of life. Just as David found and oasis of God’s presence in the middle of the desert of life, we can as well.
The aim of your heart should be to seek God’s presence in your life. You must desire intimate, daily communion with him because it is only in that life of communion that we will have our needs met.
Isaiah writes, They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31 KJV
One of the most difficult aspects of faithful Christian living for me has been waiting for God. Too often I am impatient and want God to act now, on my schedule. You know that it doesn’t happen that way.
Waiting takes strength and demonstrates trust, courage, and endurance. Waiting on God is hard work. Yet it is probably the only way of demonstrating God’s strength manifest in our weakness.
Whenever we rush frantically about trying to do it on our own, we in effect become functional atheists, denying by our actions that God is active in our lives.
I have this prayer in my office to help me. God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.
Waiting on God is like standing in the dark, but looking at the beam of light that comes from God. Knowing the source of light gives us confidence that outside the dark sheds that describe our lives, light bathes the whole landscape.
Light will not be overcome by the dark, but will vanquish it. It is that kind of vision of God that gives us the courage to wait in confidence.
As we wait on the Lord, enjoying his presence, the promise is that we will renew our strength. Actually, in Hebrew it says that we will exchange our strength. The idea is that through communion with God, we trade our strength for his. Then we can mount up with wings as eagles. Then we can run and not grow weary. Then we can walk and not faint.
Jesus emphasized over and over the need for us to abide in him. That is the key to the Christian life, our abiding in his presence. As we spend time with Jesus and enjoy fellowship with him, all of our needs are met.
Jesus put it this way, Make your home in me just as I do in you. In the same way that a branch can’t bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the vine, you can’t bear fruit unless you are joined with me. John 15:4
Our lives are like the branch connected to the vine. We, as branches, are tapped in to the source of our strength. As we remain in that relationship, we can draw on his life-giving strength, his power, and his resources. That is the key for the Christian — a life of intimate fellowship with Jesus.
There is nothing more enjoyable or rewarding than a relationship with Jesus. As I spend time with him in prayer, through reading the Bible, and through our daily walk of faith, I have found real inner strength.
It is an inner assurance that he loves us and that he is there for us. I understand the reality of his promise, that he will never leave or abandon us. I know that he is my best friend. There is nothing more enjoyable or rewarding than a relationship with Jesus.
But life can get out of focus so easily. The one thing that we all agree on and need the most is generally what is lacking in our lives. Time with the Lord.
If you are lacking power in your life, or peace, or joy, then pause for a moment and consider how much time you’ve spent with the Lord. Remember, the focus of your search, that the thing you need to seek, is a relationship with Jesus.
The fruit of searching
The focus of our search is an intimate relationship with Jesus. What’s the result of that search? Communication. Through relationship we come brought into his presence. As we enter his presence, we enjoy his fellowship. And as we fellowship with him, we have a real divine-human communication.
This is very similar to the communication we enjoy when we spend time together. As we relate to each another, we get to know one another better. Not all of the communication we share is verbal communication, however. Some things we come to know by simply being around one another.
By observation and by interaction, we understand each other. The same is true for our relationship with Jesus. As we spend time in his presence, in communion with him, we place ourselves in the position for him to share with us and for us to share with him.
David had two goals in his seeking the Lord. The first was to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord. David desired to enjoy the presence of God. He understood the value of taking time to enjoy his relationship with God.
Too many of us don’t take time to smell the roses. We are in such a hurry to get to where we are going, that we don’t take time to enjoy the trip. What a waste it is when we reduce following the Lord to just the fulfillment of certain duties.
Following Jesus cannot and should not be reduced merely to Christian principles. Following Jesus is more than attending church, doing church work, giving our money, studying our Bible, and doing good works in the name of the Lord.
Following Jesus includes all of those things. But those things should be done because of the joy we receive from our relationship with Jesus. We do good works and fulfill our responsibilities because we love the Lord (i.e. carry out the garbage, doing the dishes).
Unless we serve him out of this motivation, our service will soon become too heavy a burden for our flesh to bear.
We need to learn the value of what it means to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord. Taking time to enjoy the glory of the Lord. What does that mean? Thing about his love for you, about how patient he is with you. Look closely at his mercy. Analyze his compassion and care for you.
Look at Jesus from every conceivable viewpoint. Just as a jeweler will take a diamond and hold it to the light, slowly turning it to enjoy all of its beauty as the light passes through each facet, so we need to carefully consider Jesus. He is altogether lovely. We need to take time to enjoy him, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord.
David’s second goal for his communication with the Lord was to seek him in the temple. The word seek here can be translated inquire. David knew that God desired to communicate with him, and David’s desire was to hear the voice of the Lord.
One of David’s goals was to inquire of the Lord, and to meditate on his Word. David saw this as a great need in his life. He is the one who said, I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
He also said, I will meditate on your precepts and regard your ways. I shall delight in your statutes, I will not forget your word. For David, God’s Word was invaluable, priceless. It was more precious than gold.
Jesus wants us to hear his voice. His speaking brings faith, deliverance, healing, restoration, and joy. I want to hear his voice. That’s what I need, that’s what you need. That’s something worth desiring, something worth seeking after.
Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. Matthew 4:4 God’s Word is necessary for us to live. We must communicate with the Lord.
The form of our search
A relationship is the focus of our search, and communication is the fruit of our search. Commitment is the form of our search. We must be committed in our effort to seek the Lord. What we desire from God, we must seek earnestly. David said, One thing I ask of the Lord.
David had a goal and he sought it with everything he had. He knew what he wanted. He had put his priorities in order and knew what was important. He was committed to follow through until his desire was attained.
Seeking is good, but it’s not enough by itself, you must be determined. David determined not to give up until he obtained the object of search. He would not allow anything to get in the way. Just like David, you and I must seek the Lord with determination. There must be a commitment to seek his presence.
If we do seek him with determination, then we will seek him successfully. We will do so because we seek him according to his will. How do I know this? Jesus said, Seek and you shall find.
God told Jeremiah that, When you come looking for me, you’ll find me. Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I’ll make sure you won’t be disappointed. Jeremiah 29:13-14 The Message
He told Isaiah, Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near. Isaiah 55:6
When you become serious about seeking the Lord, he promised that you will find him. But we must be serious. In order to seek the Lord successfully, you must be committed to seek him with all your heart.
With all the issues of life, the busyness of our schedules, the pressures of our jobs, the requirements of raising a family, of being a good husband or wife or father or mother, there is really only one thing we cannot do without, and that is an intimate relationship with Jesus.
The one thing we must seek is the one thing which will give us strength to rise above difficult circumstances, the pressures and the stress, and become the man or woman God desires us to be.
