ARE YOU STILL SEARCHING, OR HAVE YOU FOUND IT?

BIBLE PASSAGE:
Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom,
but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block
to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles.
(1 Corinthians 1:22-23)

MEDITATION:
Would you agree that everyone is looking for something to bring value
into their lives? Some people are just bored and looking for something
to spice up their life. Others are disappointed with how their lives have
turned out and are looking for something to help them ‘get a new start’.
Still others realize that our time on earth is limited (and brief), so they
are searching for a path to a new life after death.

This search is not something new to our generation. People were
searching during biblical times as well. Jews were searching for
signs of something special and new. Greeks felt that finding wisdom
would fill the void in their lives.

Just as it was during those times, people today continue to ‘look in all the
wrong places’. While everyone was searching, Paul and other disciples of
Christ were trying to point them toward exactly what they needed, but they
were blinded as they looked in other directions.

It is the same way today, isn’t it? People are trying all kinds of things to fill
a void in their lives, while pastors, missionaries and bible teachers are trying
to show and explain to them what they really need – which is Jesus Christ.

One of the great needs in the church today is for every Christian to become
enthusiastic about his or her faith in Jesus Christ. This is the essence of having
a vital and vibrant spiritual experience. The disciples had been with Christ, so
they had a natural desire to testify about the One they had seen and heard.

Every Christian should be (or become) an ambassador of Christ. Every
Christian should be so passionate about Jesus and so filled with His Spirit
that nothing could stop us from telling others Who He is and what He did
for us.

The Gospel that Paul preached seemed madness to many in his day.
But you know what? It seems to have inspired him to preach even
more. Believers need to have the same passion today that Paul had
back then. We need to capture some of the ‘magnificent obsession’
that those early Christians had! Being filled with the Spirit of God
is how we end our search and fill the void in our lives.

ACTION:
Questions to consider:
    – Am I passionate about my relationship with Jesus Christ?
    – Am I one of those searching in the wrong places for peace,
      happiness and life’s fulfillment?
      If I am, then I need to pause my search and listen to what
      pastors, missionaries and bible teachers are saying. They
      are driven by a ‘love for others’ and a desire to see others
      discover what is really important, not just for ‘getting through
      life’, but for ‘enjoying life’ now, and for looking forward to an
     ‘amazing life’ in eternity.

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, create in me a passionate desire to tell others
about Jesus. Don’t allow me to keep my relationship with You
contained within myself so others cannot see how important You
are in my life. Give me opportunities to show and tell others how
much Your fellowship means to me. If I am searching in the wrong
direction for the real meaning of life, turn me around and point me
in the right direction. Help me discover what I have been missing
out on as a Christian. Teach me the importance of my influence on
a searching world.”

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