Devotional - May 21, 2004

I find it interesting that the Gospel of John lists the last miracle performed by Jesus before the Jewish authorities plotted to capture and kill him, was the raising of Lazarus from the dead. But not only did his enemies want to find him, all the people were looking for Jesus.

Many people are looking for Jesus today without knowing what they seek. Many are drowning in problems and looking for peace and others looking for answers to questions they can't verbalize. They may look at the world to give them what they seek, but truly it is only Jesus who understands the real need and wants to help.

The Pharisees were looking for someone called Messiah. Such a person would be the fruition to Old Testament prophesies concerning the nation of Israel. It sounds nice to say these religious leaders were diligently looking for the promised one of Israel, but were they?

Jesus fulfilled at least thirty-eight specific Old Testament prophesies to the letter. Not only that, but he lived among the people without sin, healed people, preached the kingdom of God, demonstrated the power of God and finished his ministry faithfully. If the Pharisees were looking for Messiah, one has to ask exactly where they were looking.

Such it is with so many of us. The Lord is near by and we aren't even aware of it. We pray and ask Him to join us when he is in fact, shoulder to shoulder beside us. We ask for His blessing when we already have it. We look for answers when in fact we already enjoy it.

David prayed in Ps 118:7, "The Lord is with me; he is my helper." The last chapter of Saul's life ushers in the beginning of king David's reign in Israel. If David was going to be what God expected, he needed the assurance that was with him. David longed to spend time in the temple of God in Jerusalem but was unable to do so because Saul stood in his way. However, that fact didn't stop David from doing God's work wherever he was planted.

Is the Lord Jesus near you? Has He blessed you and is moving in and among your circumstances to the point his absence is easily noticeable? Are you blooming by God's grace where you're planted, or are you busy looking for God while He's standing right beside you?

1 Developed from Read the Bible Thru ( 1Sa 29:1-31:13 Jn. 11:54-12:19 Ps. 118:1-18 Pr. 15:24-26 )
2. Scripture comes from the Holy Bible, New International Version; (c)1978 by New York International Bible Society