READ
2 Chronicles 7:11-16
CONSIDER
In my first year of university, I remember that I had terrible work habits. Week to week, I would often skip classes, not do any of my textbook readings, not do any of my assigned homework, and just spent the majority of my time playing super addictive computer games and hanging out with my friends. When quizzes, tests, and exams were coming up, I would not study until the day or sometimes even night before. I remember one time for a psychology final exam, my ‘studying’ consisted of just reading all of the chapter summaries of a 500-page textbook. Needless to say, I did not do too well in that course.
Looking back at my work habits, do you know what I realized doesn’t make sense? I always expected myself to do well in my exams despite my work and studying habits. Somehow, I thought that even if I didn’t study, I could still be a top student. I actually really wanted to be a good student and I knew it was good to be a good student. However, I wasn’t willing to put in the work or sacrifice other things in my life that I wanted to do to pursue being the good student that I wanted to be. I really wanted to be a good student, but I was not seeking to be a good student.
In our faith journeys, we learn and we know that it is good to have a relationship with God. It is good to have a relationship with God who is faithful, all loving, and merciful. We know that even wanting to want to have a relationship with God is a good idea! But are we seeking that relationship with God? Do we expect to have a relationship with God without having the desire to seek Him in our lives? Do we expect to have a relationship with God while holding onto everything else that we desire?
I invite you to join me to explore what it looks like to seek God and to seek Him together this Sunday!
Pastor Fabian Chiu
PRAY
Heavenly Father, I give thanks that you are our God. I give thanks that in Your great love, you pursued me first and that the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. Lord forgive me for when I went seeking other things that don’t satisfy instead of seeking You. I pray that your Holy Spirit would help me to delight in the Lord and to continually be seeking the presence of God. In Jesus name, I pray, Amen.
DIVING DEEPER
When you pray with God, what is it that you seek?
Take time to write out your prayers and read them over. What do your prayers tell you about how you view God?
What does it look like for you to be participating in and encouraging others in seeking God together at SCBC?