My
4-year-old son, Andre, and my 13-year-old, Jamal, love to play video games
together. I am so grateful to see them enjoy each other’s presence and have fun
together as brothers. However, sometimes they can be so focused on their game
that they fail to pay attention to anything else. My wife and I would try to
call them and get their attention, but they would not respond. Sometimes,
they’d even say “Yes dad, we’re coming,” but half hour later they are yet to
step away from their games. They are so busy and passionate about what they are
doing that they fail to pay attention to their parents. When we must wait on
them to pay attention to us, we get impatient sometimes. Frankly, the more we
must wait for them to leave what they are doing and come to us, the more
frustrated we get.
Beloved, sometimes I think our
relationship with God is just like that. God has been trying to get our
attention lately, and many of us have not been listening. First, God should not
have to get our attention, we should willingly “SEEK GOD” every day of our
lives (Ps 105: 3-4). However, many of us have been so preoccupied with the things
of life, the worries of life, and enjoying the pleasures of life that we have
not been “SEEKING GOD” as we should. We must be more intentional about SEEKING
GOD every day of our lives, because when we fail to do so we become more
vulnerable to the weapons of the enemy. The longer we fail to diligently seek
God, the longer we fail to listen to God, the more exposed we are to the
schemes of the devil.
In
the Bible, God intentionally withheld the rain or His blessings from His people
because their failure to diligently SEEK HIM and pay attention to His Word (1
Kings 16 – 18). God also withheld His favor and protection over His people
allowing their enemies to defeat them, because they did not SEEK HIM nor heed
His warnings (Read the book of Judges). Beloved, God is trying to get our
attention. He is calling for us. Are we listening? Let’s not be so preoccupied
with the things of life that we fail to listen to God and heed His warnings.
“God rewards those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11: 6).
After much prayer and meditation, I feel both compelled and convicted to share with you what I believe our spiritual goal should be this year: “SEEKING GOD 2022.” The elders and I want to both encourage and invite the Waterbury Church of Christ on a spiritual revival this year to grow closer to God as we grow closer to each other. Many things happened these past few years that could have alienated us from the presence of God or keep us away from our fellowship as a Church. “SEEKING GOD 2022” is about strengthening our fellowship and growing deeper in our relationship with God.
I Love You All
Donny Pierre