In 1960, 50 percent of infants and one out of three pregnant women died after childbirth in what is now the United Arab Emirates. Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan invited medical professionals to help. Two Christian missionaries, Drs. Pat and Marian Kennedy, answered the call.
With time, birth rates improved, and mothers and babies survived. They even opened a hospital where future rulers would be born. They served the Emirati people before there were big cities, major roads, and even stable electricity, proclaiming the love of Christ with their words and actions. It was evident that they were driven by compassionate love, not personal gain.
The Sheikh noted that these Christians came before the UAE gained wealth from oil. Because of their actions, this Muslim ruler granted religious protections to Christians living in the UAE.
God wants His people to be a life-giving presence wherever they go, much like the Kennedys. The Israelites of Amos’s day, however, demonstrated the opposite. Claiming to be God’s people, they committed wicked acts of injustice, brutally oppressing, cheating, and corrupting other image-bearers. So God pronounced fatal judgments upon them for their “crimes” and “sins innumerable” (Amos 5:12). Instead of contributing to the flourishing of society, the Israelites were like a plague—bringing decay, destruction, and death.
Society may reject the message of God’s people, but it shouldn’t be able to deny a concern for goodness, justice, and compassionate love in our actions. If God, who is holy and righteous, cares about these things, then we, as His people, must care about them too.
God warned the Israelites to seek Him and live; to pursue good, reject evil, and establish justice (Amos 5:6,14–15). In essence, He graciously called them to repent and return to Him while He may still be found (Isaiah 55:6).
Here’s the irony: by God asking sinful people to seek Him, He was seeking them first. And hasn’t that always been the case?
The Lord pursued you and me while we were still sinners. What should our daily response be to God’s initiating love in Christ? Letting His kindness drive us to joyful repentance again and again (Romans 2:4).
And with His help and grace, let us continue to seek the things above, where Jesus is (Colossians 3:1). When we set our minds on Him, our lives will align with His heavenly priorities. Are we pursuing good, establishing justice, and rejecting evil as God’s people? Our presence should encourage the thriving of others—in our homes, workplaces, communities, and countries. Sisters, seek God and live. Seek God so that others may live as well.
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38 thoughts on "Seek God and Live"
Came back to me and live – a true shepherd
Let’s continue to press onward dear sisters.
Do not lie to each other, since you have taken your old self with its practices. And have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its creator.
Colossians 3:9-10
“Do not lie to each other, since you have taken your old self with its practices. And have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its creator.
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“Seek God so that others may live as well” !! Yes, Lord!!
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Such a needed reminder this morning as I’m catching up from yesterday! “Seek Me and live” will be going up somewhere
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I want my actions and the way I live to cause others to love Jesus. I pray that my goal in life would be to please Jesus above all❤️
Such good reading today. I constantly try to bring good wherever I go. This is a good reminder to always set our minds in the things above.
We are visiting Washington DC and I am struck by the ideals this country stands for- freedom, equality, fair representation. I was so saddened as we toured, thinking how this hasn’t been true for many, many people in the US. But God…I pray that I can stay true to His Word, and not be swayed by common beliefs in society, even in our Christian culture…love, God’s love, always
Amen!❤️ Have a blessed weekend sisters.
@Rhonda J. The first part of your comment reminds me of the song For All My Life by TAYA love it ❤️
14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. – Colossians 3:14 what a great reminder. My very best friend since I was a little girl was raised Mormon and I was raised Catholic. Although our religious views are different we have one very big thing in common… we love our savior Jesus Christ. In the town we both grew up in (Cody, Wy) the LDS community has decided to build a temple there. If you’ve ever seen a Mormon temple they are fairly huge but also very beautiful and well kept. Well so many people from our town are in an uproar about it ruining the sky line and causing light pollution (even though this temple would be on a much smaller scale) and have been so cruel to this LDS community. It makes me sad that these people call themselves Christians yet continue to bash this poor Mormon community. The placement of this temple is off in the distance so it wouldn’t even be noticeable from every angle. I pray they can be kind and understanding to these people. If you don’t want something built in your town that’s one thing but to just bash who they are as people is another. @RHONDA J and SEARCHING thank you so much for the comments! It means a lot that it has impacted somebody along the way :)! Happy Friday ladies!
Good morning happy Friday! I need a clock in at this very moment, but this is my prayer here at my workplace. There’s so much injustice just in my area and it makes it so hard sometimes please pray for me.
Thank you, Beverly, for such a great devotional. A couple of things that jumped out at me: “Society may reject the message of God’s people,” (it feels like this is where we’re at in society),” but it shouldn’t be able to deny a concern for goodness, justice, and compassionate love in our actions. If God, who is holy and righteous, cares about these things, then we, as His people, must care about them too.” I hope my friends and neighbors see this in my actions, but sometimes I think I am just too busy with my own things. My other favourite part from today’s reading is “by asking sinful people to seek Him, He was seeking them first.” And what should our response be, asks Beverly. “Letting His kindness drive us to joyful repentance again and again.” Thank you Lord for pursuing me! Thank you for your kindness!
Help me Lord to always keep my focus on you and not the distractions around me. May I be able to discern what is important to you. That you for the gift of the Holy Spirit to guide me in my daily v walk!
Seek me and live! Seek the Lord and live. Pursue good and not evil. It seems there is so much evil out in the world today. And as Amos said, “they despise the one who speaks with integrity.” I see that where I live. There was a young man in our Old Town with a sign that said, “F&*% Christians”. It hurt my heart to see this. I’m praying I will become stronger in being a godly presence. That I can encourage others to seek Him as well. That my actions will align with my beliefs. That I can stand strong in my faith and not waver to whatever is going on around me. As Beverly said, “are we pursuing good, establishing justice, and rejecting evil as God’s people?” Lots to ponder on.
It sounds so simple,”Seek the Lord and live” yet so many of the lost pay no attention and as believers we often fall into the pattern of Israel – sin, judgement, repentance – repeat. God has nothing but good for us. It should be so easy to live each day for Him, yet time after time we fail. The answer – set our hearts and minds on heavenly things – fix our minds on heaven. What are “heavenly things”, or “things that are above”? Goodness, mercy, compassion, obedience, love, eternal life, Jesus! A good way to “set our minds”, is to memorize scripture and recite it to ourselves throughout the day. This is something I’m currently working on – which I might add, is a lot harder now than it was 20 years ago! As we read, ponder and memorize the Word, it will dwell in us richly and then we in turn can teach it to others (Colossians 3:16).
Praying for you all, especially each request as I come to it. Have a wonderful Friday ya’all!
ALL GOD AND CHRIST WANT us to do is to seek them FIRST. They WILL supply our every NEED, not necessarily our wants, but YES OUR NEEDS. God’s love for us is so great that not only did He send Christ, Who died for our sins, but God continually is forgiving us for our wrongs and sins. Now that is TRUE LOVE.
Be blessed and NEVER FORGET God LOVES AND FORGIVES us all no matter what we do, say, or think if we ask for forgiveness sisters.
I just have to say I have never really read Amos a lot. But WOW! This is a HUGE wake up call, for the then and now!❤️
Sorry for a second post, but I wanted to add amen to RHONDA J, LISA CHAPEK, and SARAH SULLIVAN.
I was reminded of David as I thought of this week’s verses. He was a ‘man after God’s own heart’- even though God punished him for his wrong actions, he did not lose his allegiance to his God. It’s all about the heart. Does it belong to God or the world.
K – More on WORMWOOD:
From the NET translation footnotes:22
tn There is an interesting wordplay here with the verb הָפַךְ (hafakh, “overturn, turn”). Israel “turns” justice into wormwood (cf. 6:12), while the Lord “turns” darkness into morning (v. 8; cf. 4:11; 8:10). Israel’s turning is for evil, whereas the Lord’s is to demonstrate his absolute power and sovereignty.
WORMWOOD
1. a woody shrub with a bitter aromatic taste, used as an ingredient of vermouth and absinthe and in medicine.
2. a state or source of bitterness or grief
Lamentations 3:15
He has filled me with bitterness; He has sated me with wormwood.
Have a wonderful and safe weekend, Shes, and thanks again for the prayers as I remember your requests!
Amen @Sarah Sullivan! I agree, a lot has been allowed it seems to wake us up and to finally speak up for where the nation has been led astray!
Take my yoke upon you…submit to my wills and my ways. My yoke is easy and light.
I want to walk in obedience to Him! In the midst of my burdens, sorrows and trouble. In the good times, and the bad. I want to show his ways to those around me by carrying the fruits of the spirit. I want to show meekness, patience, and love. I want to seek the Lord in all my ways. Nothing blesses me more than hearing and seeing the needs of someone hurting and being able to hug them. “Bear one another’s burdens.” And now I am becoming more comfortable in praying for them automatically. With the Holy Spirit living inside me, it enables me. I cannot do this on my own. Isn’t it amazing that God chose us to be his hands and feet to turn others to him?! Let us get excited in the weary, frustrating time we are living in! He will give us exactly what we need at the exact time. We may not even know the impact we have in the moment, but years later, or on the other side.
@Kimbery Z. I agree with @Searching, your story impacted me so much when you shared last year, and comes to mind so often! Keep sharing with anyone you can of how God uses those terrible situations and turns them for good! You are a blessing!
Love you all She’s!
“Let the wicked abandon his way and the sinful one his thoughts.” How often it seems to come back to this: wickedness is sinful thoughts acted out. It matters what I’m thinking and what I allow into my mind. It occurred to me that all the “putting off and putting on” in Colossians is not just an excercise. We put off so that there is room in us for the heavenly things that our minds are supposed to be set on. It’s our spiritual spring cleaning so that we can live in the goodness and freedom we were created to live in and will live in for eternity!
Imagine what our world would look like if Chrsitians were living for God and not getting caught up in the things of this world. It can be easy to blame all the bad things happening in our world on sin and Satan, but how much of it does God allow as a way to draw His people, draw us, back to Him?
Amos 5:7 confused me, and the meaning felt significant especially in today’s age. In Spurgeon’s exposition, he notes that “Justice as wormwood” + throwing righteousness to the ground speaks to ritualism without godly character. God, show me how to live out your way of Justice, not in a performative way – but in humility and in truth.
After todays reading I’m left with “it sounds so easy” and then I am reminded that it is- God seemed me first! Thank you Lord. Help me to continue our relationship daily, minute by minute, fill my heart with Your words of truth, my mouth with words of encouragement so others may live as well and lastly my actions with justice and righteousness! Thank you Lord for Your goodness. Lifting you sisters in prayer!
Seek me and live. Four small easy to read hard to implement on a daily basis when people flagrantly disobey and it arouses my anger at the injustice. God is the one that seeks justice and gives righteousness. I need to renew my self through the Holy Spirit to be in alignment.
Father, let me shine the light of Your presence to all in my life. More of You, less of me. In Jesus name, Amen
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Amen and Amen! Father, I thank you for your word this morning. I pray that I will continually seek you and live! Help me to be filled with your compassionate love for others. Help me to fix my eyes on you.
Seek God … He is seeking you. I wish it had not taken me as long as it did to quit running from and rebelling against Him, and I am so grateful He never stopped seeking me.
KIMBERLY Z – your testimony is one of the most powerful I’ve heard. Thank you for sharing with us from the early days and showing us what faith looks like and how the Lord has walked with your family through this valley. ❤️
SHARON JONES – praying for daughter
SARAH SULLIVAN – praying for you
Praying for past requests.
TINA – miss you! and CHURCHMOUSE, plus many others ❤️
Seek him and LIVE
Amen, Beverly, “Our presence should encourage the thriving of others—in our homes, workplaces, communities, and countries. … Seek God so that others may live as well.”
DOROTHY – praying for you and the situation with Jake
SHARON JONES – praying your daughter would “seek God and live” May the Lord give you and your husband wisdom in the words you speak to her so that she discerns the truth from the lies. Also that the situation brings you and your husband closer. How is Abbey doing?
TAMI C – how is Michelle doing?
Seek Him!