A Key for Spiritual Renewal: Seek the Lord and Live



Seek the Lord and Live

A Key for Spiritual Renewal: Seek the Lord and Live

Dear Kids,

Age creeps up on a person unnoticed. One day you wake up, look in the mirror, and observe that lines have formed around your eyes, and a few extra pounds have settled in your middle. Aching joints and stiff muscles suddenly replace the spring in the step you once took for granted. About this time many of us start searching for ways to prolong our health and life. We exercise more and try to eat less. But even this can’t outrun the inevitable physical decline we will all experience. But there is a worse type of decline threatening to undo mankind. This type of internal deterioration often goes unnoticed. The remedy? Seek the Lord and live. 

 Amos Delivers a Sober Message

Amos, a Jewish sheep breeder and farmer, was called by God to deliver a sober message to Israel. God’s chosen nation had fallen far away from the Lord. They were disobedient to His laws in every sense of the word. They worshiped other gods, practiced prostitution and gross immorality, succumbed to drunkenness, and took advantage of the poor. Amos sought to warn God’s people of the consequences of this spiritual decline and the severe punishment that was quickly approaching. Numerous times and in various ways God afflicted His people in order to get their attention.  But they refused to look in the mirror, recognize the signs, and implement the remedy.   

Yet through Amos God once again implored the people to “Seek the Lord and live.” If they would but turn from their sins and follow after God He would relent. Unfortunately they chose to ignore this plea for repentance.

Signs of Internal Slipping

Today we focus a lot on our outward appearance. Hundreds of commercials peddle products to keep our skin looking younger, hide the gray in our hair, and ease the aches and pains brought on by age. People spend thousands of dollars each year to look their best and discourage the passing of time. But how many of us notice when we start to slip internally.

Maybe we’ve gotten lax with our words and gossip has slipped in. The movies we watch have gradually become more inappropriate and we don’t notice. Our commitment to God and regular worship has declined and been replaced with other more important calendar appointments. Our marriage vows don’t have quite the same meaning as they did before, and an affair becomes a very real possibility. Selfish ambition has replaced a desire and obligation to help others less fortunate than we.

Remedy for Inner Deterioration - Seek the Lord and Live

These and many more are symptoms of a declining spiritual health that only leads to death. But there is a remedy for this type of inner deterioration. Amos prescribed it for the people of Israel more than once. He pleaded with them to “seek the LORD and live.” This same remedy is available for us today.

There are no vitamins, workouts, surgeries, or eating plans that can fully prevent or reverse what time does to our physical bodies. But when we seek the LORD with our whole heart, when we turn back to Him and His ways, we can find spiritual renewal and health.

So check the mirror regularly. But look past the newest wrinkle and gray hair into the depths of your heart. Then apply the remedy Amos recommended . . . “Seek the LORD that you may live.”

Love,

   Mama

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