What do you want?
What are you seeking?
These are two very powerful questions that are asked by Jesus to his disciples. Which Jesus inquires of the disciples what is their intention and motivation to follow him. Then he invites them to follow Him.
In the gospel of John Jesus poses these questions to his disciples and leaves them with the choices to either stay where they are at or come follow him to where he is staying and where he goes.
“Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them,“What are you seeking?”And they said to him Rabbi (which means teacher) where are you staying? He said to them, come and you will see. So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.(John1:38-40ESV).
What is your heart’s intent?
Jesus poses these questions to us each day we choose to follow him. He asks us what is our intentions in following him and where is our hearts motives?
Are they genuine in seeking him? Are they selfish in motives wanting what we want when we want it?
Are our motives seeking God’s will or are we wanting to lead instead of submitting to God’s will?
Are we willing to pick up our crosses and follow Jesus with complete faith?
The questions that arise in my Spirit what is it that I want from God?
Am I seeking him with complete honesty and humility?
Am I choosing him above all else?
Am I seeking God with intention and diligence to know Him better, or to just have knowledge?
If we are truly being honest with ourselves and with God we do not always want to choose right and sometimes we don’t want to face the day or the decisions that each day brings.
However, we need to have the discipline to choose to approach God with a pure heart. Otherwise, we are just plainly being stubborn and selfish.
Jesus invites us to come follow him and seek him with intention.
When we step into a relationship with Jesus and accept salvation we step into a position of righteousness in God because Christ died on the cross for us. Furthermore, when we step into intimacy with God and a relationship that needs the intention to seek Him with all of our strength. God wants every part of us, the good, the bad the ugly, the messy the mistakes, the misspoken words, and the imperfect humanness he created us to be to just love him back in return.
So my question is have you done a heart check recently? Are you happy and content where you are? If not what is holding you back? What is holding you hostage? What has distracted you and turned your heart's attention away from pursuing God? If you have answered yes or maybe to any of these questions you are not alone I have been there before but do not worry the Father’s love will dust you off and make things new. Never underestimate the Father's love and how powerful, because he mends the brokenhearted and heals the sick. He raises people from the dead for goodness sake we do not have to doubt his abilities because he is good. And because he tells me every day he loves me in his word in his presence and what he speaks over me.
Another way I know that God shows his love for me is the blessing of the wonderful parents he has given me on this earth. For instance, my best friend is my mom we do things together like shopping, getting coffee together, dinner dates, and learn new things like painting. My relationship with my father is different. I can talk to him about most anything but some things are just reserved for mom conversations.
However, I have never doubted my father's love for me because he tells me every day that he loves me, and he prays for me each morning as I leave for work. And he picks me up brushes off the dust when needed. He willingly drove me to work each morning when I fell and broke my ankle this year. Now my father is the kind of dad that thinks his dad jokes are the funniest and would pull a prank on someone if he knew they could handle the humor without being offended. But he is also the kind of dad who would do anything for his family for his friends, and even complete strangers. My dad has his flaws and faults but I would love to find a future spouse that is like him because I can count on his love. Obviously, the point is we do not have to doubt God’s love for us because he displays his love for us each day in different ways at different times, but his love is consistent. His love is trustworthy.
Yet, in return, we must seek God with all that we can muster so our hearts are pure that our motives are innocent and not full of selfish pride.
We must ask ourselves how is Christ’s love influencing me?
Is it changing me or Am I being resistant for some reason?
What Am I choosing to seek and put my affections towards?
Jesus doesn’t turn us away from his love and he turns no one away from accepting his invitation because he came for all. He has called everyone to accept his invitation of love.
Jesus also invites us to accept a new nature and to live in holiness! We do not have to live in sin and the filthy rags of the flesh. We gain a new life and are raised from the dead.
References:
English Standard Version Study Bible (2008) Crossway Publishing, Wheaton ILL,
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