Real Life

Amos 5:4b,6a,14a "Seek Me, and live...Seek the Lord and live...Seek good and not evil, that you may live..."

We run after so much stuff in our short lives on this earth. There is so much out there to run after. Money, love, power, popularity, possessions, jobs, status, comfort, health, being the best, family, friends, significance…and these are only a few. None of them are really bad. It is not bad to have money. It is not bad to have someone love you. It is not bad to be healthy. It is not bad to feel good about yourself. The problem is, we make these things singular priorities in our lives and we ignore that which is primary…seeking God.

The word for "seek" actually means to "seek with care, to enquire, to consult, to investigate, to ask, to study, to follow". We are so careful to get the right education so we can get the right job to make the right amount of money to support our family and have the stuff that we want so we can be comfortable, and we think that this is living. We think that this is life. We believe that this is all there is. God is telling Amos: "There is more." The word for live actually means: "have life, remain alive, sustain life, live prosperously, be quickened". So these verses are saying: "Seek God, study God, follow God and you will have life, be quickened and will sustain your life." Kind of sounds like a guy that came to this earth who said: "I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." John 10:10 Jesus wasn't just talking about everyday living, He was talking about something more. I love the meaning of "more abundantly" it means: "exceeding, over and above, supremely, extraordinary, uncommon". Jesus doesn't just want us to live ordinary lives and then someday leave this place in a way that makes someone wonder if we ever existed. No. Jesus wants our lives to mean something. To have real purpose. To be extraordinary. To exceed the lives of those who are just chasing after temporary stuff. He wants us to make an eternal impact. That is why He came. How do we do that? Seek Him with care. Consult Him. Ask Him. Study Him. Follow Him. Run after Him. Make Him our number one priority. "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you." Matt 6:33

Seek the Lord and really live.