April 24, 2016 (Proverbs 8:17)

“I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently will find me” (Prov 8:17). I personally was raised in a religious persuasion which gave assurance that when as an infant I was baptized with sprinkling of water on the head, thereby having a relationship with Jesus Christ firmly established. I was under the false assumption that not only did Jesus love me but that I loved Him. Then later was I confronted with God’s Word and Jesus speaking, “If you love me, you will obey what I command” (John 14:15, NIV). And in time I came to a realization that my thoughts, speech, and actions were in no wise honoring to the Christ whose name I was professing. Likewise, I had not found the Son of God to genuinely be the Lord of my life where I could honestly speak of Him as my Savior. Quite to the contrary, I had wanted Jesus to be my Savior without allowing Him to become Lord of my life. For in truth, I had never diligently sought Him but was living according to what seemed right in my own eyes. I was simply one of those who make up a vast majority of those attending every Christian church in America. The theme of this proverb is echoed repeatedly throughout both the OT and NT, yet all too often is not recognized for what it is saying.