Pursuing God

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