God is a Seeker!

September 16, 2010

I was in a panic as I shuffled through all of the papers, notes, and cards on my desk. I emptied every cubbie to see if I could find what I was looking for. I even dumped out drawers with markers, pens, and assorted desk items to see if it might have slipped into the drawer by mistake. Then, I looked over to the trashcan. I peeked inside to find just a few pieces of paper and a couple tissues. That was when I realized, I was going to have to dig through the trash. Not the inside trash, but the stinky outside, who knows what could be growing out there trash. Yuck! As I reached my hand through one bag after another, I was praying I would find it sooner rather than later. I shifted through egg shells and meat cartons, rotten fruit and old napkins. I searched through one gross thing after another in order to find what I was looking for. All the while, every disgusting thing in the trash was touching me and my arm as I reached down into the muck.

I was searching. No, it was more than that. I was seeking out something very specific.

Did you know that God seeks out you? And He seeks out me as well. And the garbage that God has to dig through to seek us out is horrendous.

Psalm 14
Only fools say in their hearts,
“There is no God.”
They are corrupt, and their actions are evil;
not one of them does good!

This world is filled with evil, and it reeks like the stench of a trashcan. Evil is all around us. Murder, adultery, abortion, abuse, theft, assault, slander, drunkenness, addiction, pornography, lust, lies, pride, greed, approval, fakeness, discontent, stubbornness, idols, selfishness, and so on. Everything about this earth is covered with sin and wickedness. It all happened at the fall.

But…

The LORD looks down from heaven
on the entire human race;
he looks to see if anyone is truly wise,
if anyone seeks God.

The Lord seeks out His people. He is searching amid all the mess and trash and disgusting things of the world for people who want to be His. He seeks you and me. He is looking specifically for you by name.

God is a Seeker!

But no, all have turned away;
all have become corrupt.
No one does good,
not a single one!

Will those who do evil never learn?
They eat up my people like bread
and wouldn’t think of praying to the LORD.
Terror will grip them,
for God is with those who obey him.
The wicked frustrate the plans of the oppressed,
but the LORD will protect his people.

Who will come from Mount Zion to rescue Israel?
When the LORD restores his people,
Jacob will shout with joy, and Israel will rejoice. (NLT)

In the end, God will redeem His people. He has sent us His salvation as a free gift. Salvation, a light of hope, in the midst of the putrid evil that surrounds us. He seeks you and me. He wants you to accept His salvation. He is reaching out to you. Will you accept? Will you be lifted from the garbage and brought into His presence, clean and fragrant?