Minister Crystal Cochren of myfaithandfitness.com sends this timely blessing to us. Read on and be blessed.
“One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple.” ~ Psalm 27:4 (KJV)
The liturgical season of Lent began on Wednesday, March 5. Lent is a time for reflecting on our individual relationships with God. We should take this time to ask ourselves some important questions.
• “How hungry and thirsty am I for a strong relationship with God?”
• “What am I willing to give up in order to cultivate a strong relationship with God?”
Although God wants to be first in our lives, God will not force us to establish and maintain a relationship. God gave us free will. We are free to start, or not, any relationship that we desire with any person. How we exercise our freedom speaks volumes about what is important to us. How much time and energy we spend seeking after God and the things of God demonstrates how important God is to us.
Today’s text is one of my favorite scriptures. Every day, I am seeking after what I desire of the Lord. My desire is to be in God’s will. When God called me to preach on Sunday, December 3, 2006, I was not happy with the assignment. I did not want to do it. Despite my initial lack of desire for that particular assignment, I have been obedient to God and God’s call on my life. I am humbled to know that God has assignments for me. Additionally, my desire is to be in the presence of the Lord as often as possible. Being in the presence of the Lord requires stillness. Stillness of mind, body and spirit. When we are too busy, we can miss what God wants to show us. We miss God’s messages in the midst of busyness. There are several blessings that can only be found when we behold the beauty of the Lord and enquire in God’s temple. We can receive the fruit of the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-23) We can receive gifts of the Spirit. (I Corinthians 12:4-11)
Life is about choices. We make choices constantly. Some choices are mutually exclusive. Conversely, other options can be exercised simultaneously. However, we cannot be lukewarm towards God and expect to prosper emotionally and spiritually. God would rather us be hot or cold. (Revelation 3:15-16) I encourage you to develop strong spiritual disciplines during this season of Lent that you will continue when Lent is complete. Make plans to be still in order to strengthen your relationship with Jesus. Spend more time alone praying and studying the Gospels so that you can learn Jesus’ teachings. Spend more time fasting as a spiritual discipline. God wants to spend time with us, quality time, not just during Lent, but daily, in every season. Seek after God today and every day. Be blessed as you increase your focus on your spiritual and emotional health. Remain encouraged.
