By Sidharth Mohandas
In the Old Testament we see that there were three spiritual centers – Bethel, Gilgal, and Beersheba – which were of great significance to the Israelites. Each of these places commemorated a particular historical encounter they experienced with God. In fact, these places had turned into popular pilgrimage centers.
But let’s listen to what God had to say about these:
“Do not seek Bethel, do not go to Gilgal, do not journey to Beersheba…Seek the LORD and live” (Amos 5:5-6)
Most of us have Bethels, Gilgals and Beershebas in our lives – experiences with God that we cherish and hold on to. We love to go back and revisit these places where we met with God; however, God is interested in taking us beyond! Now even though experiences in themselves are not the issue, our focus is. Are we seeking the Lord or are our eyes on experiences?
I wonder how many of us have stood in queues, waiting for a man of God to lay hands on us so that we could partake of a supernatural experience. Or how many of us wait to feel God before we seek Him in prayer. Let me emphasize, again, that it is not the experience that I intend to belittle. Experiences are a vital part in our Christian lives. But what I want you to ask yourself is: “Have I taken refuge in experiences? Do my experiences dictate my relationship with God?”
Let me explain further… say, for example, you prayed for a person who was sick, and the person dies. Do you immediately come up with thoughts like: “God doesn’t heal always” or “God doesn’t heal everyone”? What was Jesus’ response when the disciples could not heal the boy with epilepsy? He didn’t come up with a theology that defied the word of His Father. He instead blamed the disciples for their lack of faith (Mark 9:19) and lack of a lifestyle of prayer and fasting (Mark 9:28-29). Paul later on in the letter to the Corinthians attributes sicknesses, infirmities, and early deaths in the Corinthians church to judgments that the disciples brought upon themselves for not discerning the body of the Lord (1 Corinthians 11:29-30). I ask you again, “Do we let experiences change our faith in God’s Word, or do we allow God’s Word to change our experiences?”
Like the Israelites we have built spiritual centers in our hearts, minds and for some of us, even in our doctrines. We have come to a place of such complacency with experiences that seeking experiences have taken the place of seeking God. Today, may we seek HIM– not prosperity, not health, not healing, not miracles, not being slain in the Spirit, not speaking in tongues– but HIM and more of HIM. As my mom always says “Let us seek His face and not His hands”.
A bitter truth, which we all experience some or the other time in our lives. With me too, there have been times, when I would long for something to happen, which would confirm His presence close to me. But these experiences do not lead us any further and we tend to remain in those experiences rather than move on to where our Father wants us to go. I thank Him that He’s teaching us to move on further seeking Him more than anything else in our life. All glory to Him. Thanks Sid.
Great points. Trusting God in good experiences and bad. He is more!!
This was a wonderful post, just loved it!
It is so true what you say here. We do need to seek Him and not the experiences. We need to attain to that personal relationship with Jesus, and have Him rule over all.
Blessings
You made that verse in Amos “fresh” for me with this devotional.
I was thinking the other day about the word devotional…how it should cause and bring devotion to God. This post does that for me. I agree with your mother and often say the same.
Great post! so true…actually i feel like God has been telling me lately not to seek for expereinces or camp in my past experiences..rather to seek Him..his face daily.Just 2 days back,in my church youth meeting our pastor was speaking about something similar to this post…so thats why i feel like God is trying to make it very clear..just seek me..thats all we need. GBU Sid.
BEAUTIFUL BEAUTIFUL BEATIFUL!!!
THIS IS GREAT !!! LOVE IT, THE LORD IS SURELY WORKING HIS PURPOSE OUT IN YOUR LIFE. SID
GODBLESS YOU ALL SO MUCH
Dear Sid, thanks for the post.it is so sad to see the focus has often changed from Jesus in the lives of believers.May God help us to rely on Him only. bijo
I really liked this article and especially your question. “Are we seeking the Lord or are our eyes on experiences?” I think this is an excellent question for our time, our culture, especially here in America. So much focus on the big “experience” these days that people forget that a day to day, minute to minute, active ongoing “regular” relationship with the Lord is vital to growing in one’s faith.
As you know Sid I have been contemplating healing, with your help, over at my blog post “A Process and a Moment”. Your post here gave me some more thoughts on these healing verses but I will have to come back later …
peace & grace in Christ,
brad
Back again.
Looking at the verses you point out about the healing of the boy with epilepsy I focused in on verse Mark 9:23 “All things are possible for one who believes.” It reminded me of the account of two healings in Mark 5. The women who simply believed that if she could only touch the clothing of Jesus she would be healed and she WAS instantly. Interconnected to this account is the account of the dead daughter of a synagogue ruler named Jarius. Jesus’ response to Jairus was “Do not fear, only believe.” His daughter was brought back to life. There is a beautiful link between Jesus, belief, and healing.
Just believe! Anything is possible!
Beautiful, thoughts , revelations! Yes we should not always go to the sources of miracles…………..but HIM and more of HIM.
i know this has been posted quite long back..and am reading it like after an year since it has been posted..but this word is somethin that i needed..we need o seek him oh so true..:)god bless