Whom are you seeking?

Whom are you seeking?

John 20: ¹⁴ Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. ¹⁵ Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?”

She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.”

¹⁶ Jesus said to her, “Mary!”

She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Teacher).

¹⁷ Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’ ”

¹⁸ Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things to her.

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Needing guidance, I sought to find a mentor. I asked people who their mentor’s were and they held back the true name of their guide. Finally one person told me their mentor’s name. I approached the person and formed a quick relationship. The guidance was great for business.

• I have sought people to guide my career.
• I have sought people to guide my intellectual growth.
• I have sought people to guide my hobbies, vacations and repairs.

Mary was looking for JESUS’s body. JESUS asks her “Whom are you seeking?” as if to imply she was looking for some help from someone. When HE revealed who HE was, she was elated! Her search had truly come to fruition.

• GOD wants me to seek HIM daily.
• GOD wants me to search for HIS guidance in every situation.
• GOD wants me to be excited when I see HIS power turn hearts back to HIM.

Seeking GOD is the best thing I can do every day. But what about living? Yes, I have to make a living to eat and pay bills, but that does not have to stop me from seeking GOD each day. In fact, GOD enables me to sit and ponder HIS blessings HE has provided over my life.

HE sends me to people who are seeking HIM. Sometimes HE sends people to me when I am not seeking HIM. GOD is gracious and JESUS pours out HIS blessings by bringing me into HIS family. For that, I am truly grateful.

• Whom are you seeking?
• Are you looking for guidance from a few humans?
• Will you seek spiritual guidance from GOD who knows all, sees all and is everywhere you can go?

Being Guided

Luke 2: ²⁵ And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. ²⁶ And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. ²⁷ So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, ²⁸ he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said:

²⁹ “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace,
According to Your word;

³⁰ For my eyes have seen Your salvation

³¹ Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples,

³² A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles,
And the glory of Your people Israel.”

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“Turn right here” were the words I sensed. It was not an audible voice rather something I simply understood. I obeyed and kept driving. I had no idea where I was, let alone where I was going, all I knew was I needed an apartment in this city I was moving to.

My aching neck made me seek relief so I pulled into a gas station. As I left, I went down the wrong street. “Turn into this driveway” were the words I sensed. I obeyed and wound up on the grounds of a wonderful apartment complex. I did not know my job was only 5 minutes from this very affordable, quiet spacious place.

• The HOLY SPIRIT has led me many times.
• The HOLY SPIRIT has guided me to safe places.
• The HOLY SPIRIT has enabled the right situations to happen in order to guide me to the place I should be.

Simeon was a man led by the HOLY SPIRIT. I would suspect he did not get this way overnight, rather it took years of listening and obedience to be able to discern between selfish thoughts versus the voice of the HOLY SPIRIT.  HE was led to see GOD in the flesh and to declare the blessing on mankind.

• GOD says to me “Seek first the kingdom of GOD.”
• GOD says to me “Open the door of your heart to ME and I will come in and sup with you.”
• GOD says to me “In your weakness I AM made strong.”

Through ambiguity, fear and pain, GOD is still there guiding me to the places HE wants me to be. HE is not bribed by human money, nor is HE trying to build another earthbound kingdom of slaves to capital. GOD wants to lead me to freedom where eyes are opened to HIM and HIM alone.

• Where are you being led?
• Are you ignoring GOD’s voice and listening to yourself?
• Can you stop for a moment and ask GOD “Where do YOU want me to be” today?

Escaping for Life

Matthew 2: ¹³ When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”

¹⁴ So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, ¹⁵ where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”

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“Shoot him” were the words I heard as I dashed to the safety of the bowling alley. Our instincts had kicked in and standing to fight an outnumbered crowd was not the option for me or my friend. After waiting a while I could hear something that said “go check on your friend now, he is safe.” I found him and we went home together.

• There have been some very dangerous times in my life.
• There have been some times that I have faced some extreme life threatening situations.
• There have been some moments when I did not think I would make it.

“Fight or flee” comes to mind when faced with danger. I chose to flee that time and hoped for the best. Looking back on this extreme situation I could only see one thing, GOD.

• GOD protects me on a daily basis.
• GOD protects me from those who try to harm me.
• GOD protects me in extremely dangerous situations.

Since GOD has a plan for me, HE wants me to continue so HE protects me to fulfill that plan. HE guards me from dangers I am not aware of and for that I am eternally grateful.

• Are you mad about something?
• Do you feel upset?
• Can you stop your anger for a moment long enough to praise GOD for HIS protection?
• Will you thank GOD for HIS wonderful plan for you?

Peace in the Desert

Isaiah 32: ¹⁶ The Lord’s justice will dwell in the desert,
    his righteousness live in the fertile field.
¹⁷ The fruit of that righteousness will be peace;
    its effect will be quietness and confidence forever.
¹⁸ My people will live in peaceful dwelling places,
    in secure homes,
    in undisturbed places of rest.
¹⁹ Though hail flattens the forest
    and the city is leveled completely,
²⁰ how blessed you will be,
    sowing your seed by every stream,
    and letting your cattle and donkeys range free.

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Silence was the strangest sound I heard after being released from the high paced position that was eliminated in the reorganization. With no conference calls or fires to put out or people complaining about sagging profits, I felt strange. There was actually enough quiet to listen.

• There were times when my pace was so noisy that I could not hear.
• There were times when I did not have time to stop and listen.
• There were times when I had not time to listen to GOD.

“The Desert” is a symbolic place for me. I mean the Israelites were glad to leave Egypt because they were under someone’s forceful hand. But then they found themselves in “The Desert” and that felt even worse to them. No heavy hand, but no crumbs from the “master’s” plate. When I sat down for the first time with no appointments, at first it felt great, but weeks later I wondered, “Where is GOD?”

• GOD said to me “MY justice is in the desert which is right where I want you now.”
• GOD said to me “MY righteousness lives in the fertile field and I want you to seek out this field.”
• GOD said to me “MY reward to you will be peace and you will have quietness and confidence forever.”

It took some time to get used to the quietness. I learned to use it as lost time I had not spent with GOD, family and friends. I found the fruit GOD wanted me to seek in the first place and HE blessed me the entire time. GOD truly is great!

• Are you in “The Desert?”
• Do you feel lost?
• Can you quiet down and listen to GOD?
• Will you seek HIS guidance instead of yours?