Plan for: Thanksgiving | Advent | Christmas
The main point of this sermon is that the ongoing pursuit of God brings profound joy, impact, and blessing to our lives, as we find satisfaction and strength in His steadfast love and presence.
Good morning, family! Today, we have the privilege of diving into the beautiful and powerful words found in Psalm 63. This passage speaks to our souls about the joy of seeking after God and the blessings that flow from it.
A.W. Tozer said it well: "To have found God and still to pursue Him is the soul's paradox of love." This captures the essence of Psalm 63, where we are reminded that our pursuit of God is an ongoing journey, filled with both joy and purpose.
Please join me in reading this passage from the Word of God:
O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy. My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me. (Psalm 63:1-8)
Let's take a moment to invite the Holy Spirit to guide our hearts as we delve into this Scripture today:
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word that is alive and speaks to our hearts. As we explore your Word today, we ask that You open our eyes to see the joy, impact, and blessing of seeking after You. May Your Holy Spirit guide our thoughts and stir up our hearts to pursue You with all that we are. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
The joy we experience in seeking God is a deep, abiding sense of fulfillment and satisfaction that comes from pursuing a relationship with our Creator. As we explore the various aspects of this joy, we will see that it is rooted in our identity as God's children, it is nourished by our continual communion with Him, and it is sustained by the hope of His eternal promises.
Rooted in our identity as His children: When we come to know God and accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we are adopted into His family and become heirs to His kingdom. This new identity brings with it a profound sense of belonging and purpose, as we are no longer strangers or outsiders but members of God's household. As we seek after God and grow in our understanding of who He is and who we are in Him, we experience the joy of knowing that we are loved, accepted, and cherished by our Heavenly Father.
The psalmist expresses this joy by declaring, "O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water." This passionate pursuit of God is driven by the knowledge that He is our source of life, sustenance, and satisfaction. Just as our physical bodies crave water in a parched land, our souls long for the presence of God to quench our spiritual thirst and fill us with His love and grace.
Nourished by our continual communion with Him: As we spend time in prayer, worship, and the study of His Word, we draw near to God and experience the joy of His presence. This ongoing relationship with our Creator allows us to grow in our knowledge of Him and to be transformed into His likeness. As we become more like Christ, we find that our desires and priorities align more closely with God's, and we experience a greater sense of joy and fulfillment in our lives.
The psalmist speaks of his desire to be in God's presence, saying, "So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory." This longing to be near God and to experience His presence is a hallmark of the joy of seeking after Him. As we draw near to God, we are reminded of His greatness, His power, and His glory, and we are filled with awe and wonder at the majesty of our Creator. This sense of awe and reverence fuels our desire to know Him more and to seek Him with all our hearts.
Sustained by the hope of His eternal promises: As believers in Jesus Christ, we have the assurance that our relationship with God is not limited to this earthly life but will continue for all eternity. This hope of eternal life with our Creator gives us a sense of joy and anticipation that transcends our present circumstances and allows us to persevere through trials and tribulations.
The psalmist declares, "Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands." This expression of praise and worship is a testament to the hope that the psalmist has in God's eternal love and faithfulness. As we seek after God and cling to His promises, we too can experience the joy of knowing that His love for us is greater than anything this world has to offer and that our future with Him is secure.
When we earnestly seek God, we embark on a journey that draws us closer to Him and shapes our character, priorities, and relationships ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO