As the mother of three boys, on a daily basis I am asked questions like, “Hey, Mom, have you seen my binder?” “Mom, where’s my belt?” “Have you seen the charger for my DS, Mom?” Even my two year-old chimes in now, asking, “Mommy, where blankey?” I respond in a typical Mom fashion, instructing them to look here or there to help locate the missing item. I have discovered that they have much more enthusiasm and motivation to find things like the DS charger or a football than let’s say, their belt or binder for school. Lately, it’s really caused me to think about how much we diligently seek the Lord in all of our daily decisions and actions. Do we only have a zeal for God’s direction and wisdom in a crisis, or do we seek Him with a steady diligence and determination everyday?
It’s important to start by being honest. After all, Joshua 24:14 says, “Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and truth.” I’m ashamed to say that often I find myself making decisions first, and then consulting the Lord later, hoping He’ll put his stamp of approval on my plan. This, however, is not how we are to seek the Lord’s will and direction for our lives.
The Queen of Sheba strikes me as a person who was intent on seeking after wisdom. She had heard about Solomon’s wisdom, but she wanted to find out for herself (I Kings 10:1-13). She was so serious about seeking wisdom that she took a large caravan of camels, gold, and jewels, determined to find out if this man she had heard so much about was truly wise. When she reached Solomon, she asked him “hard questions,” baring her heart and soul to him.
The Queen of Sheba traveled many miles to seek out Solomon’s wisdom, and her hunger and thirst for wisdom was quenched. Equipped with God’s wisdom, Solomon answered all of her questions. In fact, she responded after their time together, “Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom. Blessed be the Lord thy God, which delighteth in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel: because the Lord loved Israel for ever, therefore made he thee a king, to do judgment and justice” (I Kings 10:8-9). What strikes me here is that she had witnessed that the wisdom of the Lord through her encounter with Solomon, and she discovered that Godly wisdom causes people happiness and peace. Most of us strive to be happy and have peaceful lives, and the Word gives us evidence that God’s wisdom is a principal factor to happiness and peace.
Godly wisdom must be sought after by studying and meditating on God’s Word, spending time praying and fasting, and seeking fellowship with other like-minded believers. How can we know if we possess Godly wisdom? How can we know if others have it?
Quite simply, Godly wisdom is revealed through our conversation, actions, and choices. James 3:13 explains, “Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? Let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.” Again, the words we speak, the decisions we make, and the actions we take can show us if we truly possess Godly wisdom. Love, peace, and mercy follow the wise.
In the parable of the pearl, Jesus explains that “the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found on pearl of great price, went and sold all he had, and bought it” (Matthew 13:45-46). The merchant didn’t settle for anything but the best, and he was willing to sell all he had for the one pearl of great price. Likewise, we must be willing to seek Godly wisdom and the kingdom of heaven with everything we’ve got. We also have to be willing to lose everything in exchange for the things of God. There are no compromises.
A lot of times, we want the wisdom, blessings and direction of God without truly seeking Him, ready to give up any and everything that would separate us from Him and His will. There are no shortcuts.
Just like we can tear up the house to find missing keys or frantically search through the mall or grocery store to find a missing wallet or cell phone, we have to have this same level of enthusiasm for seeking the things of God.
Is there something missing in your life? Whatever it is, make a resolution and a renewed determination to seek the kingdom of heaven first and His righteousness. As the Word tells us, then all the other things will be added.
Seeking With You,
MaRita
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