PSALM 105:3-4 – Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice! Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!
THEME OF THE DAY. KEEP IT RELATIONAL. When we read our Bibles remember three important things. First, context. Don’t isolate a verse on its own. Look before and after to get the setting of the passage, not just a verse ripped out of context. That is how false doctrine, cults, and believers are being led astray by false teachers. Next, remember the historical context. For instance, the New Testament letter to the Philippians. Where do we find the author, the Apostle Paul, when it was penned? In a Roman prison. Knowing this literal truth places more power and application of the main theme of the letter into our lives. Here is the application. The chief theme in Philippians is joy. The Apostle Paul had abounding joy while in a jail. Such observation means, we, also, may enjoy the same joy of the Lord in our times of trial. A final thing to remember in reading our Bibles appears in today’s scripture – repeated words. If we come across this in a passage of scripture, pay close attention. There is an emphasis God is placing using repetition we need to heed. And today, the word is “seek” and it occurs three times.
In observing the use of “seek” in today’s scripture, where is the Psalmist directing our seeking? In all three times the verb appears, it points us to seeking the Lord; His Person. In the second use of the verb it extends to include His power or strength. What may we conclude from this emphasis? A couple of things . . .
First, the primary seeking or pursuit in the Christian life is Him who is the Christian life. I know we know this and that is the danger – familiarity. Let’s test this danger. Quick. Did we read our Bible today? If we did, was our prayer, “Lord, let me meet You in Your Word” or was our reading a mindless exercise of habit or sense of obligation to fulfill? Friends, the Lord saved us to know Him, to draw near Him, to enjoy Him, and He even gave us the invitation and promise of finding Him if we seek Him – You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart (Jeremiah 29:13). Don’t lose sight of the heart of the Lord when it comes to living the Christian life. He wants us to want Him, then seek Him. Remember, that is why Jesus came and why we have a Bible.
The second conclusion from today’s scripture and the repeated use of the verb “seek” is its connection with the Lord’s strength. We read again – Seek the Lord and his strength. Seeking the Lord and His strength are inseparable. We seek His strength not to just get through a tough day, but to know Him. Think about that. We need strength to know Him, And that is exactly what the Apostle Paul prays for believers – For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:14-19). Do we pray like this? Are we seeking God’s strength for a closer walk with Him? Isn’t that what we need?
May the Lord help us to keep all seeking of Him relational; to seek Him and the power so that we might grow more and more in grace and knowledge of Him (2 Peter 3:18).
PRAYER: “Father, help me to see Your power is not just to get me through life’s difficulties, but to get me to You.”
QUOTE: “God never gives us His power to serve ourselves but to overcome ourselves for His glory and purposes.”