Pursuit and Priorities

We all know Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you…” It’s everywhere, and we hear it all the time. But one of my favorite verses is Jeremiah 29:13. It says, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” I love this verse because it is such a good reminder of our need to pursue God wholeheartedly. A wholehearted pursuit of God is not only referred to in Jeremiah 29:13, but also in 2 Chronicles 15. In this chapter, “Judah, and Benjamin and the people from Ephraim, Manasseh and Simeon” are assembled together. In verses 12 and 13 we read, “They entered into a covenant to seek the LORD, the God of their fathers, with all their heart and soul. All who would not seek the Lord, the God of Israel, were to be put to death, whether small or great, man or woman.” That’s intense! The made a covenant to seek God with all their heart and soul, and failure to do so would result in death! The next verses are pretty incredible too. Verses 14 and 15 say, “They took an oath to the Lord with loud acclamation, with shouting and with trumpets and horns. All Judah rejoiced about the oath because they had sworn it wholeheartedly. They sought God eagerly, and he was found by them. So the Lord gave them rest on every side.” Not only did they take the oath, but they rejoiced about it, and they actually did it! “They sought God eagerly and he was found by them” While I’m not suggesting that we make a similar covenant, I am saying that we too need to pursue God wholeheartedly.

                Most of the time, when we hear the word pursue, it’s referencing a guy pursuing a girl, and that sort of pursuit is important! Pastor Justin Chandler once said, “If a guy is not pursuing you, he’s not worth your time because you’re not worth his.” It’s true, because your pursuit speaks of your priorities.

                What do you pursue most? What consumes your time, your attention, your heart? What are your priorities? What is most important to you? Your social life? Your image? Your career? Your family? What about your relationship with God?

                It would be difficult to believe someone who claimed to like you, if their actions didn’t back up their words. We can do that to God sometimes. We will tell Him how much we love Him and how thankful we are, but then we fail to spend time with Him. I’ll be honest, sometimes, I don’t give God my best. Sometimes, I don’t pursue Him with my whole heart like I need to. Too often I let other things become priorities when God should be number one. Don’t get me wrong, I love God and all that I am is because of who He is, but sometimes, the pursuit isn’t the priority it should be. 

                What are you pursuing? What are your priorities?