Seeking God's Presence in Your Life's Daily Journey
Jeremiah 29:13
Psalm 34:8
Psalm 27:4
Psalm 42:1-2
Isaiah 26:8-9
Philippians 3:7-10
1. Two situations:
A. If you were on the top of a mountain surrounded by beauty and all alone.B. If you were in a canion surrounded by darkness and all alone.
2. Read each of the assigned verses. How does each apply to the two situations? What might each writer be suggesting we do in order to seek God in those situations?
3. Does your interpretation of each verse change when the situation changes? If so, what insight can you gain from the change in perspective. If not, what is it that solidifies your perception being the same in each situation?
4. If the top of the mountain is 100 and the depth of the canyon is 0, how would you rate your life recently? What do these verses tell you to do within your current life's situation?
5. How can others help you on your journey back to the top of the mountain? Or, how can others help you remain on the top of the mountain?
Reflection:
- Where are you on your walk through life?
- What is it you would like changed?
- What are you doing to enable that to happen?
- How might you seek a richer presence of God in your daily life?
Passage
NIV
RSV
Jeremiah 29:13
You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
You will seek me and find me; when you seek me with all your heart,
Psalm 34:8 Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. O taste and see that the LORD is good! Happy is the man who takes refuge in him!
Psalm 27:4
One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.
One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple.
Psalm 42:1-2 As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? As a hart longs for flowing streams, so longs my soul for thee, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and behold the face of God? Isaiah 26:8-9 Yes, LORD, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts. My soul yearns for you in the night; in the morning my spirit longs for you. When your judgments come upon the earth, the people of the world learn righteousness.
In the path of thy judgments, O LORD, we wait for thee; thy memorial name is the desire of our soul. My soul yearns for thee in the night, my spirit within me earnestly seeks thee. For when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.
Philippians 3:7-10 But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ--the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as refuse, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own, based on law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith; that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
