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Pursuing God
September 14, 2004
There is such a diversity of interests among members and guests of this website that it was easy to understand why the Webmaster sent me a private message to write regularly about things a doctor doesn’t usually set his eyes on, about things that inspire, about the ultimate Source of inspiration. “Maybe for a start, you kind of introduce yourself, what the column will be all about, and why, or something like that...”
So goes part of my marching orders but Rolour was kind enough not to give me any restrictions on what to write. It is a good thing he started with “maybe” so let me begin by stating with a firm conviction that all of us have a higher calling in Christ; that nobody is insignificant in the plan of God; that before we were created, even now, the Father has been working out that plan; that the end or purpose of everything is that God receives all the glory, honor and praise. God has you and me in His eyesight. True inspiration comes from the unveiling of God’s truth. It is this truth that transforms and sets man free. Absolutely.
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"At his death bed he finally found peace with God after having spent practically most of his life running away from Him. There I began to see the depth of the Lord's love and mercy not only for my Dad but also for me."
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There is a reality that transcends the physical. We may be preoccupied with everyday needs such as food, shelter, clothing, job, our family’s well-being. We should be. Yet, as far as God is concerned, life is never defined by our possessions or accomplishments. God never intended that legitimate needs be the driving force of our life. The way to prosperity is not to pursue it. Sure, we need to feed and provide for our families and enjoy the fruit of our labors. We are even free to pursue our dreams and ambitions. But Jesus explicitly commanded, “seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.” To pursue God is the way to success and prosperity. That God meets our needs is only an add-on.
What kind of pursuit does God look for? Give a starving man in the desert a choice between a million dollars and food and water, he’ll choose that latter even without thinking. As we pursue God, it doesn’t take long to realize that He leads us to our own “desert” where we find that God is the only One who truly satisfies. I don’t know why but we almost always learn from sins, mostly ours rather than another’s. We look for love in the wrong places. Ambitions and pleasure seeking drive us no end, even stepping on others‘ toes. The thirst for success makes us want for more and more. This is seemingly unending until we get to Solomon’s conclusion that all’s vanity. Strangely, we know that God has the blueprint for our lives yet we blaze through time boasting that we are the captain of our own destiny. Such worldly pursuit only pumps emptiness into the human heart. Only Jesus can satisfy that heart. It’s no wonder that an ever-deepening longing and thirsting for Christ is a mark of a true seeker of God.
Can God really be found? F. Frangipane explains this clearly.
For many, Christianity is simply the religion into which they were born. For others, although Jesus is truly their Savior, their relationship with Him is hardly more than a history lesson, a study of what He did in the past. For those who attain His presence, however, Christ is Savior and more: He is their very life (Col. 3:4). When Jesus is your life, you cannot go on without Him.
There is a story of a man who, in search of God, came to study at the feet of an old teacher. The sage brought this young man to a lake and led him out into the shoulder-deep water. Putting his hands on his pupil’s head, he promptly pushed him under the water and continued to hold him there until the disciple, feeling he would surely drown, frantically repelled the old man’s resistance. In shock and confusion the young man resurfaced. “What is the meaning of this?” he demanded. His teacher looked him in the eyes and said, “When you desire God as you desired air, you shall find Him.”
One of the things we often forget is that God pursues us also with such intensity He never gives up until we die. To the last breath, literally. In fact, were it not for His grace, we would never even seek Him. My Dad was dying of liver cirrhosis when I was a junior intern. He rarely went to church and I don’t recall seeing him pray. He practically lived his life in pursuit of his own happiness sometimes forgetting us and in all likelihood forgetting God, too. I don’t know what happened between him and God but after he was diagnosed he instinctively knew he was dying. He tried to reconcile with people he had wronged. On the outside, there was not much change really. But the Lord must have softened his heart because two nights before he died, as we prayed together, he repented and surrendered his life to the Lord. At his death bed he finally found peace with God after having spent practically most of his life running away from Him. There I began to see the depth of the Lord’s love and mercy not only for my Dad but also for me. That time in the hospital room still remains vivid in my memory. The Lord hounded him to the very end. God is good indeed!
You see, the greatest miracle does not happen when a person goes to church more frequently or gets more religious. Neither are divine healings nor signs and wonders as great a blessing these may be. When man encounters and experiences God, the greatest miracle happens. This is the miracle of a changed heart, a changed man reconciled to Him for a love relationship. For eternity. It is God’s work alone and he knows it. After all, isn’t this what Christ died for, that all should be reconciled to God?
Right now, I wonder who at this time takes for himself the offer that sets men free? God is calling and is patiently waiting. We heard it often said that the whole of heaven rejoices when a sinner repents. Imagine that. All the angels and saints before the King of glory. Awesome, isn‘t it?
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I got stuck with my username, Theophilus, for quite a while but it’s time to get used to using my real name here. I’m Rey Octaviano (class ‘86). I’m currently living in Jersey City, New Jersey together with my wife and son. There’s not much really to put on record here except to acknowledge that all through these years, the Lord has been good and faithful to us.
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Views expressed on this column and any other by-lined articles on this site are the authors' own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the organization or its members.
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