The Desperate Seek God
Deuteronomy 8:12-9:2
Synopsis Deuteronomy 8:12-9:2 2/4/2018
Moses spoke of the danger of forgetting God. He reminded the Israelites of God’s ability to lead the entire nation through the most inhospitable wilderness. Moses begged them not to forget God as they prospered in the new land because, forgetting God would lead to their ultimate doom.
The Desperate Seek God
Desperate people seek God. The terminal diagnosis; the financial disaster; the horrific auto accident; the miscarry of a childless mother; the hopelessly depressed; these are the moments of desperation.
When I have exhausted every other option, I seek God. I seek Him wholly and earnestly. Even if I am reluctant to embrace Him, I know I have nothing to lose – because I have already lost everything I thought I wanted. I come to God destitute.
Let’s face it, if I could have found deep satisfaction on my own, without God, I would have done so.
The Distraction of Wealth
There was a time in my life when it didn’t seem like I could lose. Nothing was outside my grasp: Wealth, position, power, honors, relationships – all of it came to me easily.
And these satisfied and distracted. Busyness, adventure, choice wine, exotic food, important work; they filled the minutes and hours and days so full I couldn’t imagine doing more, or having more.
Except somehow, I did want more. Nothing I did lasted. Every activity ended too soon. Every mountain top adventure made me realize there was a yet taller mountain to climb. Every tasty dish never tasted quite the same the second time. Every bottle of wine made me regret a lost memory and a head of pain.
We all envy the wealthy man. I always envied the wealthy man.
Cultivating the Awareness of Need
But when a wealthy man sits still, really still, he is filled with a sadness. It is a strange sadness that is so intense and so painful, he will do anything to escape it. So he quickly starts moving again.
He does not know that this stillness is a true calling. He does not realize that all of his hopes and dreams and ambitions are actually on the other side of that painfully, intense sadness. And so he runs away.
But the hope for him, and for me, is in embracing the pain. Allowing my false self to feel death; to die. No one will stand for this except they believe that a resurrected life might hide somewhere on the other side.
It’s only then that I will allow myself to be quiet – really quiet. Silent. And it’s only in that silence that God can really begin to be heard.
“let us crown ourselves with rosebuds before they wither” Wisdom 2:8
