Finding the One you seek

Today’s Reading: John 6:24-25 (NIV)

24 Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor His disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus. 25 When they found Him on the other side of the lake, they asked Him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?”

Memory Verse: 1 How lovely is Your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty! 2 My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. (Psalm 84:1-2 NIV)

Good day!

Our children enjoyed playing hide and seek when they were little. Our son Benjamin loved to disappear, and he was a master at silence. Benjie was hard to find, because he didn’t giggle or make any noise. He never willingly gave away his secret place. He was small for his age, and could easily fit into tight places without much difficulty. Some of his favorite places to hide were underneath the sink, in between the bed frame and the wall, and inside his toy box, buried underneath his toys. Benjie liked to disappear just about the time we were ready to walk out the door for school, work, and especially for church. I remember some frustrating Mommy moments on Sunday mornings with that boy. I was making breakfast, dressing wee ones in church clothes, and packing a diaper bag filled to the brim with our Bibles, offering money and craft materials for Sunday school. It never failed - Benjie would invariably disappear on me. I had two of the three children strapped in their seat belts in the car, and Benjie would somehow manage to escape my line of vision. His little game did not make Sunday a fun day for me.

Payback can be a wonderful thing! Now Benjamin has two children of his own, Jett and Madison. Jett is just like his dad. He loves to play hide and seek. The biggest difference between Jett and Ben is that Jett is not quiet while hiding. He giggles, coughs and pretends to burp. Jett will do anything he can to help you find where he is hiding. Maddie has just started walking. It won’t be long before she will follow in her brother’s big footsteps. She is a tiny thing, and will have no difficulty stowing away in some of those hard-to-fit spaces. I find hide and seek much more enjoyable now as I watch my grandchildren play the game with their parents.

Jesus wasn’t trying to play hide and seek with the crowd. He knew they would seek Him out, because they had tasted the bread of life, and when that happens, people long for more. They revisited the mountainside where Jesus had fed them. They looked for the boat and wondered where He disappeared to. When they couldn’t find the Lord, they crossed the lake to Capernaum. Surprised to see their Master, they asked, “When did you get here?”

Jesus Christ has a way of showing up just when we least expect Him. As we seek a relationship with Christ through worship, He reveals His nature to us in surprising ways. Bishop Robert Schnase describes the mystery of worship in his book, “Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations.” He says: “God uses worship to transform lives, heal wounded souls, renew hope, shape decisions, provoke change, inspire compassion, and bind people to one another. God through Christ actively seeks relationship to us through worship.”

There are moments when I have sought the Lord’s face and wondered if He was trying to hide from me. Part of the wonder of experiencing worship is in knowing that the Lord is right there, waiting for me to come back to Him. Jesus never ceases to surprise me with His amazing grace.

The Lord is waiting for you to earnestly seek Him out. This is a great weekend to worship the Savior of the world. Our world needs to experience the love of Christ today. I’ll see you at Faith Church! We can share the mystery of His holy presence together in worship.

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

Faith UMC - St. Charles, MO

www.songofdeborah.com

We are looking for You in worship, dear Lord. Give us a taste of Your Living Word today, for it is only in You that our lives are made whole. Amen.

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© Copyright 2008, Deb Spaulding

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