Perhaps you recall the movie or its ad on television: Archeologist Indiana Jones is on a journey to find “The Holy Grail”. Nothing will stop him! He’s on a mission ‘from God’. Determination and faith are some of Indy’s qualities that enable him to successfully complete his quest.
We interrupt Hollywood now for a word from the Author and Finisher of our faith, Jesus Christ. The Word of God promises us that we can come into a deeper fellowship with our Lord if we purpose to search for Him with all of our heart and soul. A Jerusalem rabbi made an interesting comment on this: “God never promises that if you search diligently for oil in Texas or gold in California or diamonds in South Africa, that you’ll find it. But He did promise that we would find Him if we searched for Him wholeheartedly.” It’s sad when an unsaved, yet God-fearing orthodox Jew has better theology than our name-it, claim-it, demand-from-God ‘whatever’ you want evangelists!
The Lord repeated His promise to be found by Israel nearing the end of their Babylonian captivity, and in the New Testament God likewise declares that “He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” What is the reward? Wealth? No. Health? No. Him! Our Lord Himself is our “exceedingly great reward”!
As with any ‘pot of gold’, there must be a desire, a longing deep within the human spirit to ‘find it’. Mark it down: We are not seeking God because He is lost; we seek Him because we are lost without Him! Many Christians have only responded to the “Come to Me” but have not taken Jesus’ yoke and learned of Him. I am glad and grateful to be saved, but I’m not content in just being saved. I want to know my God more. I want to love Him more. However, I can’t ‘microwave’ the process. I must purpose in my heart to seek Him daily.
Amazingly, this Holy God who knows my heart sent His Son to die for my sins, and is now ‘looking for me’ as I look for Him! Reader, are you seeking the Lord Jesus today, or is your Christian walk a ‘thing of the past’? Are you experiencing cold prayers, lack of joy, just going through the motions? Then take a look at what you are feeding your soul. Listen to yourself some day and unlock your ‘spiritual bank account’ balance.
Set your heart on a fresh course today, and settle for nothing less than this – the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Pursue Him as if your life depends on it, because it does!
Amen!
Regarding your quote of the rabbi, many of my business colleagues are orthodox Jews and they fully share the perspective expressed in your quote. One of my colleagues (spends 6 months a year in Israel) actually went to the Western Wall to insert a prayer for me during a health struggle my family was going through. The prayer was in Hebrew and directed at יהושע (Yoshua or Jesus). Very gracious of him. His niece took a picture of him (Moses is his last name) as he inserted the prayer into the brick. Another Jewish friend prayed repeatedly for my mother at a “holy site”. He liked that her name was Rachel and her brother/sister were Ephraim and Miriam. 😊
Another Jewish colleague “renamed” me “Isaac” since he told me given what I believed (except for the Jesus part) I must be Jewish. He would refer to me as Isaac during conference calls and confuse everyone else 😊. Every Friday “David” sent me Sabbath prayers worshipping G-d or “Hashem”.
Often I share verses from the New Testament with these gentlemen and they passionately agree. When I tell them Whom I was quoting, they go into silence (seem surprised- “Yeshua said that??”).
I love these men and pray that the love, reality, grace, and completeness of יהושע touches their hearts.
Blessings.
JoseM