Faith Forum by Gloria Wessner - Check God Out

(Page 19)

When someone asks you to join a club, or try out a new restaurant or to try a new activity with them – usually one goes a time or two to check it out. We're just not quite sure until we see for ourselves that this might be a good thing that we want to get involved with or go to. It's hard to take someone else's word for it and just know it will work for us.
God knew that it would be that way with us. He says: “Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see how good GOD is. Blessed are you who run to him.” (Psalm 34:8 The Message)

Even though he is totally reliable to take him at his word that he is good for us, he knows our human nature and how we tend to be. That's why he works with us the way we are. In other words, he gives us, as human beings, the tools with which to 'check him out.' One of the tools he talks about is faith –“Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.” (Hebrews 11:1 NLT) We have to have faith when we check God out: “And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him (check him out).” (Hebrews 11:1 NLT, parenthesis mine) This is God's way of saying “Trust me, and we'll walk on this journey of life together.” God will help us to have that faith as we honestly search for him.
Another tool he gives us is to 'seek': to search for, pursue and run after God and in the end, find him. “Seek the LORD while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near. Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the LORD that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously.” (Isaiah 55:6, 7 NLT) There will come a time when we may not be able to seek him as world events continue to bring us closer to the end of time or if something happens that our lives are cut shorter than a normal life expectancy. When we seek God and find him, we will want him to change our ways such as living for ourselves in selfish ways and instead learning to love and serve others. It is “…a change of heart produced by God's Spirit…” (Romans 2:29b NLT)

We need to seek God for the right reasons, not because we want to use him to give us the things we want. “But don't be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you. For God the Father has given me the seal of his approval.” (John 6:27 NLT)

So, we need to: “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Matthew 7:6-8 NLT)

The door will be opened to a life with a personal God in a real and living relationship if you choose to 'check God out.' He invites you to do that, and if you're real in your search - when you knock, the door to heaven and abundant life in Him will be opened to you.

Readers are invited to write Gloria at: gloriawes@hotmail.com.