Pursuing the Heart of God

LATEST SUNDAY WORD What is it that the Lord wants from humans- his unique and special creation? He wants obedience. But not just obedience to commands, but heartfelt obedience. The Lord wants worship. But not just the giving of songs, prayers, and finances. Rather, he wants songs and actions that come from hearts that love him passionately. God wants service, but the kind that are more of an overflow from a heart that values and honors him deeply. Today, we want to renew our passion for God. We want to hunger for more of him in our lives. We want to intensify our desire for his beauty and glory. Together, let us take a step forward in getting and experiencing more of the heart or passions of God. There are many compelling reasons why you and I need to pursue knowing God more. Knowing God more results in us loving him more and developing a stronger relationship with him. Pursuing God’s heart establishes our identity in him, helps us grow to be more like him in character, and produces in us a greater submission to what God wants. When we run after the things that beat in God’s heart, you and I will want to serve him more, and our hearts are protected from desires inside that can cause us to fall away from God. Wanting to know Christ more and deepening our relationship with him will require some firm decisions on our part. And these decisions will need to be re-affirmed and lived out everyday- when we are excited and when the feelings of excitement have gone down. We are called upon by the Lord to keep pursuing him- when times are easy and there are many who are with us as well as when times are hard and there are few who are walking with us. In order to successfully pursue God’s heart, you and I need to remove things in our lives that hinder our progress in knowing God more and becoming more like him in character. We need to make deliberate steps that move us forward in this quest. And we need the guidance and help of our pastors, leaders, and our spiritual brothers and sisters. But the rewards will more than outweigh the “sacrifices”. Your life will be transformed and you will experience a growing sense of wholeness, holiness, and joy that no one and nothing can take away from you. You will be lifted from the limitations and brokenness of earth to the power, freedom, and well-being that only knowing God deeply will produce. Take the journey, don’t look back, and give your all. Blessings on you as you pursue the heart of God!