Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” (Jn 1:38)
Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” (Jn 1:50)
As I was reading the first chapter of the gospel of John, these two phrases from the words of Jesus jumped out at me. "What are you seeking?" and "You will see greater things."
What am I seeking? What is it that drives me? What do I live for? What is the highest motivation in my life? What do I give my time and energies towards? What am I seeking?
It's always relevant to stop and ask yourself such questions. This question forms the first words of Jesus recorded in John's carefully constructed gospel. It's no accident or insignificant detail. Jesus, as always, goes straight to the heart of the matter: "If you want to be my disciple, I want to know what you really want from me." Very often, when people cried out for Jesus for a miracle, he would still stop and ask them the same question: "What is it you want me to do for you?"
For me the question is timely: for some time my hearts cry and earnest desire has been to see more of the Holy Spirit's working in my life and in the church. It was quickened by the Elders and Leaders weekend, it was accelerated by the tough times my family has walked through with the Lord, it has been confirmed by what David (our senior elder) has returned with on his heart from his 40 days of seeking the Lord, and it is breaking out with all that Roger has come and ministered to us. I am coming to the point where being in the Spirit is not just something I desire, but something I cannot be without!
However, I am also aware that neither I nor the church I am a part of is there yet. We have begun a voyage, we have not completed it. No matter how fantastic the recent ourpourings of the Spirit in our midst have been, these are not the destination, they are the departure lounge! We need to see greater things than these if we are to reach the place I believe God wants us to get to. It's not just for a moment, or for a few, but as Joel prophesied, it is God's desire that his Spirit would powerfully move on all flesh with a powerful anointing that endures. Not just for Sunday mornings. Not just for Thursday evenings, but so that every moment of every day we drip with the fresh oil of the Spirit's anointing on our lives. This is how we were designed to live.
Roger, I'm so glad you are coming back to minister to us again. Your job is not finished amongst us. The Spirit's work upon us has just begun.
We will see greater things in the days ahead. God's Spirit is on the move!
2 comments:
'God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another...' (1Jn 1:5-7). This is what I seek Chris, to walk in His light and to have constant fellowship with Him. Roger challenged and inspired us this weekend to seek that closer and truthful fellowship thru a heightened awareness of the power of the Holy Spirit, and as we as a church grow in this then yes, we will see greater things, Praise God!
Dear Chris. Thanks so very much for very inspiring and though-provoking insights. People like you fill our hungry hearts with Spirit-filled words and I suspect all who read your prophetic comments will praise the Lord for you. God bless you and your two sons and your lovely wife. Keep up the good works. In Christ, Thomas Otanga, Washington DC otang (wachtek@hotmail.com)
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