Peanut Butter and Jelly

My wife and I have always had a love for books!  Some of the first gifts that my wife gave to me when we were dating were colorful little books filled with encouraging words, scriptures and cheerful poetry.  Then there was a book called “The Age of Cars” that she gave me as a Christmas gift in 1973.  I still have that book and have cherished it all these years… and especially the note she wrote on the inside cover telling me to “check out page 47 on the lower left hand corner” where there is a picture of a MGB, which just happened to be my first car that I had purchased only a few months previously. 

She lovingly signed the note, “Love always, (your pitstop girl) Piper.”  Little did she know how prophetic those words would be over the next 41 years.  During the ensuing decades she has fulfilled her promise of always loving me through the good times and the difficult ones, and together we have continuously shared a passion for sharp cars having owned over ten different models.  I think the only 2 vehicles we ever purchased with the thought of functionality as our number one purpose was Piper’s 1983 Pontiac Bonneville wagon and her 1998 Suburban.  And on both of those she insisted that we have wide tires and mags!

But back to books…  For me, part of the love of books has to do with my being a seeker of knowledge.  I always have been attracted to books about history, including historical fiction novels.  Of all the books I have read, the one I keep returning to on a daily basis is the Bible.  I have probably mentioned this before, but I have over forty translations of Bibles in my personal collection.  I guess in that regard you could call me a seeker of God!

It wasn’t always this way though, in my Christian walk.  Looking back on my early ministry days, I think that I was more excited by the intricacies of the job than of the spiritual well-being of the youth under my tutelage.   I had studied Recreation Administration during my Junior year at Chico State University and the position of Youth Minister tended to satisfy that passion in me.  It was like a dream come true!  I could organized fun activities, write and lead study sessions and multiple day retreats, lead singing, write songs and together with my wife direct a singing and drama group.  It was like being in seventh heaven!

When we left that church (with my pride hurt due to some things that had transpired toward the end of our stay), I learned a valuable lesson that changed my priorities for good!  One Sunday after attending another church for about six month, the Lord spoke directly to my wife’s and my hearts through a story that the temporary Pastor of that church was telling the large congregation.  We knew that day that we needed to return to our former church and mend some broken fences!

Well, return we did and after another three years serving as the College-Career leaders and humbly eating a lot of crow… we felt the release and went to a small Word of Faith fellowship that was meeting in a hotel room in an older part of town.  When we walked into that little room which was lined wall to wall with folding chairs, I vowed that I would quietly sit there and do anything that was asked of me with a humble and joyful heart.

For the first six months or so, we simply sat there with our mouths wide open and soaked up the powerful and anointed Word that was being taught like a sponge!  Somewhere during that time the Pastor asked my wife and I to sing a special song for the congregation and when his very pregnant wife who was leading Praise and Worship with a tambourine delivered their fourth son, they asked us to step in and temporarily lead worship.  Well, the temporary began full-time and we learned the nuances of leading a congregation into the presence of God, in difference to leading a group of rowdy youth in fun group singing!

Those years with that tiny fellowship taught me what it meant to be a seeker of God!  Since those early lessons I have had God and His plan and purpose as my first priority in every other group that I have ever had the honor of leading.  And you know what?  I have still got to do all the fun natural parts of the job that I’ve always had a passion for… and it has only gotten better since putting Him first!

John 1:36-37 tells us of a time when John the Baptist was standing near the river Jordan with a couple of his disciples when Jesus came by.  When he saw Him, “John said, “Look!’  This is the lamb of God.”  The two men with him instantly reacted.  “When the two disciples heard John say this they followed Jesus.” (God’s Word ©)  These two men were also seekers of God!  They understood John the Baptist’s ministry and knew that it was over and immediately left him to follow the One that he had pointed out to them.

Andrew and the other man, thought to be the Apostle John, were hungry for the things of God.  John 1:41 makes it obvious that they along with Andrew’s brother Simon had been looking for the Messiah for some time, and that they knew Him when they saw Him!  These men’s hunger drew them to Jesus and Him to them!

That is the same way I want to feel and act about my relationship with Jesus.  How about you?  Matthew 6:33 tells us that as we “seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness” that everything else that we need and or desire will be added unto us. (KJV)  Isn’t that exciting?  Do you hunger and thirst for Him?  Are you feeling satisfied in your life?  Matthew 5:6 informs us that those two qualities go together like peanut butter and jelly!

As I read about the example of Andrew and John this morning, I was revitalized in my zeal to be a seeker of God.  Hopefully today’s post will energize you to do the same!  Have a great day.  Stay in tune to His word and keep asking yourself… “What am I expecting today?”