Seeking Grass!

1 King 18:5,6 “And Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go into the land, unto all fountains of water, and unto all brooks: peradventure we may find grass to save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts…….Ahab went one way by himself….”

The words ‘Ahab went one way by himself looking for grass….’, prompted me to write this devotion today. I wondered, how Ahab, the king of Israel would have gone himself in search of grass! Yes, he did! The scarcity of water was so great that the king himself and Obadiah, the governor in the palace, went in person throughout the land to seek for grass for the cattle. Well, it was God who brought the king to such a level, that Ahab might, with his own eyes, see how bad the land was, so that he might repent and turn to Him.

However, Ahab's care was not about his soul, but not to lose all the beasts, many being already lost; he took a great deal of pains to seek grass. Because of the severe wickedness in Israel God had to withdraw rain. But nobody seem to realize that! Instead of correcting himself and listening to the advice of prophet Elijah, Ahab goes about seeking grass… I can see the comparison of what happened in the Old Testament days to what is happening in today’s world. Well, people are running hither and thither to build their lives, and have forgotten the one good way and that is to return to God, repent and set right their lives.

“There is a story of a man who, resisting the cost of oats that he fed his mule, decided to gradually substitute sawdust in its diet. Everything went fine for a while – but by the time the mule was satisfied with sawdust, he died.” When people start feeding themselves on worldly desires and pleasures rather than the Word of God, they do not even realize that they are dying until it is too late.

Money, pleasure and luxury has a bizarre power over the minds of people. It’s hard to draw them to God. I tell you, it is very hard. Very few take an effort and strain themselves to attend fasting prayer meetings whereas they would take all efforts to go to a place of pleasure or entertainment. How many care to come and hear me preach when I visit their cities? Such people are the grass seekers who would run to God when their roof caves in ! People would not mind running behind doctors and waiting in clinics for many hours, whereas they would come late to church and go home early. Shameless grass seekers! God is doing everything possible to draw the attention of hard-hearted people but they refuse to look above, instead they are running seeking for grass like king Ahab. Can you believe, individuals have paid full cash worth crores of rupees for each apartment to the Maytas Properties owned by the family of Satyam Computer Services Ltd founder B Ramalinga Raju, who is in jail after confessing to manipulating Satyam’s accounts. Alas, having lost their hard earned money, they now stand cheated!

Friends, testimonies like, ‘bala, your devotions prompted me to go to church on time and treat God with reverence. I am not the same anymore would give me Himalayan happiness.’ Jesus says, But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”( Mathew 6:33)