seekers

“If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.” Jer.29:13 (NLT)

Several years ago I was reading and came across this simple, and what was to me, familiar verse.

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jer. 29:13 (NIV) 

That day, unlike others, I could read no further.  My eyes filled.  I was undone by the sweet and sacred promise.  This - from a God so holy, it will take eternity to bring the praise and honor due him (Rev. 4:8-11), and yet so compassionate, he hears and cares about every whispered prayer of mine.

  

When we seek wholeheartedly, we find our Saviour.  What a gift of grace that God makes it so simple.  What a tragedy we do not take the offer more seriously.

I sat that day and wondered if I could say to Christ in all honesty: ‘I am a seeker. I have pursued you with all my heart’.   I was determined to do so, and a more intentional and altogether precious journey began.

I am preparing my heart and my home for Christmas.  I am developing a new appreciation for the seekers.

Matthew’s gospel writes about the wise men.  My nativity set has three, my Bible doesn’t give a number, so I like to imagine a huge group of them, all on a quest to see what God is up to. Jesus is still just a baby and already the missional message of Messiah bridges cultures and people groups.  These seekers ‘from the east’ begin a long journey, following a star in search of the Saviour.  They were willing to walk away from life as they knew it on the greatest of adventures – meeting and knowing Christ.

I wonder if I would do the same.  And I wonder if we can truly celebrate Christmas with joy unless we ask ourselves that question.

 

Is knowing Christ worth it all to us?

 

The wise men were “overwhelmed with joy” on seeing the star.  Finding Jesus, a child now, in a house with Mary and Joseph, they responded in the only appropriate way.  They fell to their knees in worship. (Matt 2:9-12)

Then one of my favorite reminders: “they returned to their own country by another route”.  Finding Jesus changes everything.  It transforms our focus, gives new purpose, and leads us in a different direction.  

What begins at Christmas becomes the celebration of Easter.  Jesus, Immanuel came to be with us.  He is present in our joy and struggle today, and he is the reason for our confident hope.  Jesus babe in the manger is Messiah, Lamb of God, Risen King. 

 

Advent is a season of preparation, saturated with hope.  It looks back to a time before the very first Christmas when the world longed for Messiah.  It looks ahead to when Christ will return in glory. And on this day we are in, advent calls us to be seekers, to be wise, to follow wholeheartedly a Saviour who lived and died that we might experience life by another route. 

One that will ultimately enable us to see Jesus face to face as these early travellers did. 

 

“God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.” Acts 17:27