The Posture Of Those Who Truly Seek God

Our readings (Isaiah 2:1-5 and Psalm 122) inspire us to reach out towards the house of the Lord or to the mountain of the Lord, looking beyond this mortal life. It’s a state of a person always seeking God in life. But sadly, often enough it’s when we realize that we have no options left, that we begin to genuinely seek God for guidance/rescue. That sounds a lot like Israel’s journey! Today as the first Sunday in Advent, we are encouraged to seek God regardless of our circumstances during this new church season to prepare for the coming of the Lord. How fitting that the prophet Isaiah is instructing Israel the correct posture of those who are seeking the Lord at the same time as we, ourselves are preparing to celebrate the coming of Christ our Savior into the world. What should be our posture in this new Church season? Will we be found reaching out to God in the house of the Lord? btw God’s house is here! It’s not going anywhere. Also, wherever you are, you can talk to God and worship him because you are the Temple of the Holy Spirit. Or will we be found in the middle of seeking other options offered by the world? The epistle of Paul to the Romans gives us such a vast array of these worldly options to avoid because the coming of the Son of Man will be sudden and unexpected. We ought to be found awake and living in the light, because the works of darkness are a trap and a powerful distraction to us. Israel was given the correct posture of those who are truly seeking God: “Let us go to the house of the Lord…to the Mountain of the Lord, to learn of his ways and walk in his paths.” Perhaps without this posture, our footing is not firm to withstand the enemy’s assaults! How would we go to the mountain of the Lord today? The Gospel of Jesus becomes to us the mountain of the Lord; it is where the Lord grants his presence and teach us his ways. It is where we learn God’s wisdom, which always outshine the wisdom of the world, its philosophies and politics. It is our rendezvous with all the descendants of Abraham where we learn to truly worship God and avoid idolatries of our world. You see, our world is in fierce competition opposing the purposes of God and his creation. It is a battle the ancient enemy the Devil wages on all believers. Paul says that now is the moment to wake up, for Salvation is near. Lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Live honorably, not in drunkenness, debauchery, nor in quarreling, nor in jealousy. In other words, these are the evidence of the works of darkness disguised as freedom to do anything you want, be anything you want. We become our own God. The message of the Gospel is that God, in love, offers forgiveness, reconciliation, and eternal life to all who turn from their sin and believe in Jesus, who died and rose again to save humanity from sin and death. Let us rally around this mountain of the Lord, the Gospel and learn from the wisdom of God. If you are continuously seeking God, then you are a student in the School of Hard Knocks, and you recognize God’s pure intention to save despite the circumstances. Psalm 122 about Jerusalem says: Peace be within your walls and quietness within your towers. What a picture that quietens the battles of our minds, because we are the Temple of the Holy Spirit. This is the posture of someone who continuously seeking God, whose repeated effort to set mind and heart toward God, a person who keeps learning to walk in the light, avoiding the Devil’s traps, a person who knows that time is limited in this mortal life and is eager to prepare for life immortal. A person who has learned to curb the desires of the flesh because the evil one uses them as a trap to possibly derail many in their search for God. A person discovering deep peace of God. May we learn of this posture, so we can begin seeking God more than his gifts. A better welcome to Christ our Savior and King! Amen.

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