It seems to me that I am in the midst of a week-and-a-half long chase. I don't know why I am involved in a chase. I was not even aware of it until this morning. As such, I am clearly not the one doing the chasing. I seem to be the one running, but I still don't necessarily understand where I am running to. However, I clearly see it is God's Word which is hunting me down.
Last week I engaged in a conversation with a friend about the nature of preaching. We did not exactly see eye-to-eye on its necessity. Without embarking upon a wild tangent, my friend experiences little tangible growth because of preaching, and therefore he views it as less significant for the believer's sanctification. My basic argument was Isaiah 55:11 where God says, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. I added other things as well, but I rested most of my case upon what God's Word says about itself.
On Saturday, I was asked if I would read a passage during our men's breakfast at church. The reading did not directly correlate to the devotional, but it was integrated in the middle of our short time of worship. As God saw fit, the brother requested that I read all of Isaiah 55. I didn't think much of it as I was reading until I got closer to the passage I had used with my friend. I made a mental note to do some more inquiry later on.
Unfortunately, my schedule picked up again, and I forgot about my mental note. And then I went to chapel this morning. Monday chapels are student-led. We sing more songs before wrapping up with a short devotional. Before singing, the student leading read from Isaiah 55:1-2, Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. And since God doesn't work through coincidences, I decided to bring back that mental note from Saturday.
On my ride home, I started to understood I was the target of an on-going chase. Why? At first I wasn't sure. I didn't feel like I was running, but then again maybe I was being told I need to start. Either way, two things quickly became apparent to me. First, I still chase after things which do not satisfy. Seminary does not cure me. It can actually add to the things I am chasing. Second, as of late, my time in God's Word has been lacking at best. I haven't pursued it except when my classes required it or some other circumstance came about. It was far from the top of my priorities.
I still need to pour into this passage as though my life depended on (maybe that's because. to an extent, it does). But I am thankful that God's Word pursues me even when I am not pursuing it. And for all I know, the purpose of the chase was to chase me back into the arms of my God who I am in always desperate need of.
Last week I engaged in a conversation with a friend about the nature of preaching. We did not exactly see eye-to-eye on its necessity. Without embarking upon a wild tangent, my friend experiences little tangible growth because of preaching, and therefore he views it as less significant for the believer's sanctification. My basic argument was Isaiah 55:11 where God says, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. I added other things as well, but I rested most of my case upon what God's Word says about itself.
On Saturday, I was asked if I would read a passage during our men's breakfast at church. The reading did not directly correlate to the devotional, but it was integrated in the middle of our short time of worship. As God saw fit, the brother requested that I read all of Isaiah 55. I didn't think much of it as I was reading until I got closer to the passage I had used with my friend. I made a mental note to do some more inquiry later on.
Unfortunately, my schedule picked up again, and I forgot about my mental note. And then I went to chapel this morning. Monday chapels are student-led. We sing more songs before wrapping up with a short devotional. Before singing, the student leading read from Isaiah 55:1-2, Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. And since God doesn't work through coincidences, I decided to bring back that mental note from Saturday.
On my ride home, I started to understood I was the target of an on-going chase. Why? At first I wasn't sure. I didn't feel like I was running, but then again maybe I was being told I need to start. Either way, two things quickly became apparent to me. First, I still chase after things which do not satisfy. Seminary does not cure me. It can actually add to the things I am chasing. Second, as of late, my time in God's Word has been lacking at best. I haven't pursued it except when my classes required it or some other circumstance came about. It was far from the top of my priorities.
I still need to pour into this passage as though my life depended on (maybe that's because. to an extent, it does). But I am thankful that God's Word pursues me even when I am not pursuing it. And for all I know, the purpose of the chase was to chase me back into the arms of my God who I am in always desperate need of.
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