Seek God and Live

BY Beverly Berrus

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.