[[ Seek Me And Live ]]

Those four words that acts as the title of this blog are four words that have become a daily prayer of my heart.

Amos 5:4 says: "Seek Me and live."

Amazing. Who knew. Amos. I have to admit that i haven't been reading out of Amos lately. I don't know that i have ever read out of Amos come to think of it.

But, i must say, i love how the Lord teaches me. I had a not so great thanksgiving break. I was having to stay in Auburn for all but two days of the break to work. Not complaining. Totally blessed to be able to make some money and learn discipline and committment and all those great words that comes with the territory of a job.

My 4 roommates left and i was by myself in my apartment in Auburn for a long time. I could go on with more details to set up the real storyline here but ill choose to just tell you that my heart was very lonely, very disengaged, and i was searching...without even realizing that i was searching for...Life...Jesus.

So, end of the week comes and i finally was engaged with the father and he spoke words of correction, words of truth, words of encouragement to my heart. But, he led me to this verse. Amos 5:4.

As i was reading it, i was just soo excited and passionate about those words. "SEEK ME AND LIVE."

If you know me pretty well, you will not be suprised at what i did next.

I began to disect these four words. Belive or not, i stayed on this one verse and a few words around it for the entire week. Amazing.

I love how he tells us to Seek Him. Notice he doesnt say seek anything else but "him." He says this out of his knowing that we are prone to search elsewhere and even anywhere but him for life. It's like ive gone searching in every place but jesus for life. Could be a girl, a feeling, a job, money, food, sports, whatever you want to fill in the blank. But it gets better than that. The context of this verse is the Lord talking to the House of Israel. A great picture of a group of people who denied the Lord's goodness for many years and are constantly denying him. Just like we do everyday. After he says "Seek me and live," read what he says next:



v.5 "do not seek Bethel, Do not go to Gilgal, do not journey to Beersheba, for Gilgal will surely be reduced to nothing."


He commands this because he knows our tendancies.He knows us so well because He is our maker. He knows that we are proned to wonder, and leave the God we love. Recognize that?

Ill be honest and say i wish i knew more of the background behind those places he names that "will be reduced to nothing." But i don't. I do know that they represent many areas and places in my life that i constantly run to and deny God's goodness. Places that don't produce life, but lead to death. Needless to say, the Lord did alot in me over that week through 4 words. Four!!

Here is an exert from my journal in response to all of this:

"This is soo great. To seek and come after You. Bc honestly, Im more desperate for You than i have any idea. More desperate for you than my mind or emotions allow myself to recognize. In the days where Im floating and flirting with complacency, my mind and feelings dont want to seek. But you've equipped me with everything i need to seek you in order to find life and be found by you. You have truly equipped me with every spiritual gift until the day you return. Fashion this truth in me."

Know that i didnt reveal the degree of struggle i experienced during that week. So all of this carries alot more weight than i may have portrayed. But i pray that he can use Amos 5:4 to do something in you too.

Praise God for the four word Bible study.


::johnchristian