Today’s Lectio Divina: Excerpts from Psalm 70. (MsgB)
Let those on the hunt for You sing and celebrate.
Let all who love Your saving way say over and over, “God is mighty!”
Hunting.
It seems to be one of the stronger traits deep within our human species.
Hunting for this. Looking for that.
Scouring through the bushes, looking for a rabbit for dinner.
Crossing wide oceans, exploring new lands to conquer.
Walking on the surface of the moon, picking up rocks and looking for signs of life.
Whether it be hunting for wild game or hunting for the best bargain on socks, most people I know, including myself, are always on the hunt for something.
Jesus picked up on this ‘hunting’ theme when He told His back-to-back stories of the treasure hunter and the pearl merchant, both hunting for and finding gems of great price. (Matthew 13: 44-46)
“The Kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the Kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.”
As I see it, mysteries surrounding the exploration for lost treasure have long been stories that excite us human beings. Can’t you just see Jesus sitting around a campfire with His friends, telling these ‘hunting’ stories, elaborating on them, fleshing out for His disciples the adventures of both the treasure hunter and the pearl merchant?
Hunting adventures that stir the soul.
So, let’s stop for a minute and ask this question.
What are you and I on the hunt for in our lives?
Apparently King David, a pretty good hunter himself, saw a huge blessing in this life for those who become hunters of God.
Hmm.
Hunters of God.
Imagine with me for a moment. There we are. Scouring the bushes. Turning over every leaf. Looking in every corner of the room. High and low. Low and high. Not satisfied until we find Him. Selling all we have to finance the hunt. Not resting until we put our hands into His. No relenting. No giving up. Just a consistent, hot pursuit of the one Prize in this life that we will not live without.
Hunters on the hunt for God. And when we find Him, King David says, we sing and celebrate. The Prize is ours. The hunt is over. We rest in the satisfaction that this hunt was well worth it. A job well done. A hunt well accomplished.
But wait.
Apparently, this hunt for God is an adventure that never ends. Once we find Him, we realize that this pursuit of the great Kingdom treasure is one with no end in sight.
Why, you say?
Because when you are a hunter of God, you never run out of hunting adventures with Him. Because of His unending greatness and unlimited character, the hunt for God just continues and continues to get better and better. One satisfying hunting adventure after another. In truth, a lifetime of being a hunter of God.
Wait. Did you hear that? I think I heard a rustling over there in the bushes. Could that be Him? What do you say that we get on our hunting equipment and go check it out?
My prayer: God, You know us so well and You know that we all enjoy hunting adventures. Thank You that, in this lifetime, I can become a hunter of God. May I step into this hunting adventure, joyous and expectant that I will find my treasure in You. For Your name’s sake. Amen.
My questions to ponder: When was the last time I took a hunting trip for God? Have I become complacent and bored with Him, simply because I refuse to go hunting once more? What invitation to the hunt is before me right now? Am I willing to sell it all to go on this hunting excursion with God?
So what is God speaking to you today as you ponder the Psalms?
Over a 50-week period, you and I will take a deeper look at The Psalms: God’s Songbook of Prayers. In order to keep all the blog sessions organized, we suggest you bookmark our Contemplating the Psalms home page for ease of use. Keep in mind that one of the best ways to explore the on-going applications of this blog series is to walk alongside a biblically-based, Christ-centered spiritual director who is familiar with how to make material like this part of your overall spiritual formation in God. Many of our directors in our Sustainable Faith-Heartland network are available to companion you in your journey with Jesus. Click here for more info.
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