A few times a year, I visit a church in Oak Cliff, Oak
Gardens Church of Christ. I love it
because the singing rejuvenates my spirit much like camp singing does. Oak Gardens is a predominately
African-American church and the style of singing stirs joy deep within me. Sometimes, my joy feels lost and I will go
there and I always realize that my joy wasn’t lost, it was just buried beneath
stress, fatigue, and discouragement. As
a bonus this morning, I saw it lift Kelsey too when, during a particularly good
song, she looked at me and just smiled that wide, gorgeous smile of hers. And, as Kelsey said today, “You have no
choice but to listen to the sermon.”
For the last 2-3 months, I have tried to remain focused on
simply seeking God first. I’ve tried
diligently to focus less on my wants and needs and instead see how God stays
true to His word and character. My
weekly Bible study, “Discerning the Voice of God,” prompted this focus and has
me, even more so, looking for how God is talking to me, taking care of me, and
working in my life. That sounds like it
is all about me but, without me first seeking and listening, I wouldn’t be
seeing.
Today’s sermon was about Matt. 7:7-11 – Ask, Seek, and
Knock. The part that so hit home for me was
that you first have to seek, then you knock.
Without first seeking, how will you know God? Without first seeking, how will you know His
voice or His will? We must first seek
God so that we can know His voice and walk in His way. So, when we know God, when we knock on the
door we can listen to see who answers.
“The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his
sheep. The watchman opens the gate for
him, and the sheep listen to his voice.
He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes
on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.” ~ John 10:2-4
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