Thought for Today
Deuteronomy 4:29 From there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find him if you search after him with all your heart and soul.
Psalm 24:5 They will receive blessing from the LORD, and vindication from the God of their salvation. 6 Such is the company of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Selah
Luke 11:9 "So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you.
John 1:39 He said to them, "Come and see." They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day
Seek, ask, search and knock are all action verbs. Even Jesus’ invitation to Andrew and that other disciple, “Come and see,” invites action on their part. I am reminded that Christianity is not a passive endeavor, Christianity involves full participation. Being a Christian involves more than checking off some box on a form, more than self-identifying oneself as a Christian when asked.
Like me, many of you were raised in a Christian family. In our home, there was never any question of whether we were going to church on Sunday morning . . . or Sunday evening. At times we would also go to church on a weekday evening. My siblings and I sang in the children’s choir, the youth choir, we participated in the youth groups. I went to church camp each summer and attended youth gatherings from all over the state.
However, as I look back on all of that, I am reminded of Paul’s words, “1 Corinthians 13:11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways.” I didn’t so much abandon my faith and belief, I simply put that faith aside for a while. I stopped fully participating. Thankfully, for me, God never stopped believing in me; God never stopped saying, “Come and see.”
I suspect that for many of God’s children, my experiences are not uncommon. Whether in middle school, high school or college, at some point we cease to fully participate. Maybe we are first exposed to the wide world of other thoughts and ideas. We find that there are other thoughts about reality and existence. Maybe we first encounter those who claim not to believe in God. Or, maybe we encounter other faiths and beliefs in other gods.
Being trained as an engineer, I studied mathematics, I took classes in chemistry and physics. I learned much about the mechanics and mechanisms governing our world and our universe. At some point, I read about the Big Band Theory; I remember reading the headlines and articles about God’s being dead. I began to question those first 3 chapters of Genesis and the biblical Creation Story. How could the earth and the stars be created in 6 24-hour days and yet be 13.8 billion years old (en.wikipedia.org)?
At some point, both Greta and I once again heard God’s calling, “Come and see.” Much of our impetus came from our decision to move to the suburbs and start a family. As we talked and planned, we realized we wanted our children to have the same opportunities we had. And, as we further talked and planned, we heard God’s voice calling out to us both.
Thankfully, Greta and I moved into a newly developing area. New homes were being built; new churches were being formed. If you have never been involved with starting a new congregation, there is an endless array of opportunities to serve. For us, those words of John about Andrew and the other disciple became the reality of our world. We did come and see; we did stay with Jesus that day and all the days to come.
One of the lessons we learned, and a lesson many have learned in other ways, is that God calls to all God’s children, “Come and see.” That invitation takes many forms and comes at many times during our lives. It is a clarion call to service. At some point in every life, God’s children face the dilemma faced by the Israelites when Joshua told them, “24:15 Now if you are unwilling to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."
We all have a choice. However, we also should know Jesus’ words elsewhere, "Matthew 6:24 No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”
How we answer “Come and see” determines who and what we serve. I believe that if we go to Jesus and see what faith and belief accomplish, we will stay for that day and all the days to come. Whether that is Frost’s ‘road less traveled’ or not, choosing Jesus does make all the difference.
Stay safe, choose wisely and stay, trust God,
Pastor Ray