Seek Him first!

“O that I knew where I might find him!”

Job 23:3 If I knew where to find God, I would go there

So many people in this world, yes including me at times, cry out for our afflictions to end. It appears that it is one thing upon another. Trial after trial. When we read about Job in the Bible he lost everything. Read how Charles Spurgeon writes about this.

[In Job’s uttermost extremity he cried after the Lord. The longing desire of an afflicted child of God is once more to see his Father’s face. His first prayer is not “O that I might be healed of the disease which now festers in every part of my body!” nor even “O that I might see my children restored from the jaws of the grave, and my property once more brought from the hand of the spoiler!” but the first and uppermost cry is, “O that I knew where I might find HIM, who is my God! that I might come even to his seat!” God’s children run home when the storm comes on. It is the heaven-born instinct of a gracious soul to seek shelter from all ills beneath the wings of Jehovah. “He that hath made his refuge God,” might serve as the title of a true believer.]

What I have found in my daily walk with Christ is I am doing one of these two things daily. Sometimes maybe just one. Either I am crying out to God for something, or I am giving Him praise for everything. Job was crying out, "Where is my God?" I have learned like Job, that God is always right there, right on time.

[A hypocrite, when afflicted by God, resents the infliction, and, like a slave, would run from the Master who has scourged him; but not so the true heir of heaven, he kisses the hand which smote him, and seeks shelter from the rod in the bosom of the God who frowned upon him. Job’s desire to commune with God was intensified by the failure of all other sources of consolation. The patriarch turned away from his sorry friends, and looked up to the celestial throne, just as a traveller turns from his empty skin bottle, and betakes himself with all speed to the well. He bids farewell to earth-born hopes, and cries, “O that I knew where I might find my God!” Nothing teaches us so much the preciousness of the Creator, as when we learn the emptiness of all besides. Turning away with bitter scorn from earth’s hives, where we find no honey, but many sharp stings, we rejoice in him whose faithful word is sweeter than honey or the honeycomb. In every trouble we should first seek to realize God’s presence with us. Only let us enjoy his smile, and we can bear our daily cross with a willing heart for his dear sake.]

I liked Charles Spurgeon's message in this last paragraph. All too often when facing a crisis all we know or want is for it to stop. Charles Spurgeon stated to use Job as our example. "Seek to realize God's presence in us first!" I am amazed when I see Christians, true Christians, that when faced with a problem they are praising God for all His goodness. As we keep our eyes on Him our problems don't seem as large as once we thought they were.

From God's heart, to mine, to yours,
Ed Shagott