HANDS OF HOPE

Pursue God

The greatest invitation of all time was given to us by God Himself and is captured in the book of James as he writes, “draw near to God and He will draw near to you” [James 4:8]. God, the Creator of the universe, formally requests your presence, not just for an event, but for a relationship for all eternity. But what will we do with that invitation? Will we respond to God? Will we pursue Him with our whole heart?

I believe that when we pursue God with our whole heart a number of things will happen in us, for us, and through us. Four of these things are captured powerfully in the book of Joshua as the nation of Israel was about to cross over into their promised land.  

SANCTIFY YOURSELVES

As Joshua was looking at the promised land from the east of the Jordan River, God spoke a powerful word to Joshua and gave clear instructions as to how to prepare the people to enter God’s promises.

Joshua 3:5b [NKJV] – “Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.”

The first step in anyone’s pursuit of God is to sanctify yourself. God is a holy God and cannot dwell where there is consistent, habitual sin in our lives. As we pursue God, He will often lead us first through a period of deep reflection and repentance in order to align our heart with His and prepare us for what is to come. It leads us to consider some questions: What do you need to repent of today? What attitude needs to change? What do you need to sanctify or purify yourself from?  

HEART OF THANKFULNESS

After the nation crossed over the Jordan River and began taking their first steps into the promised land, God led them to set up a memorial with 12 stones [Joshua 4] in order to remind themselves of God’s goodness and give thanks.

One of the greatest hindrances to going deeper in God is a pattern of ungratefulness. At the same time, one of the keys to going deeper in your walk with God is having an attitude of gratitude and living in a realm of thankfulness toward God and all that He has done. Some thoughts to ponder today are: What am I thankful for today? What am I frustrated about that God wants to help me see with a new perspective? What promises do I need to start thanking God for before they happen?

MAKING A RENEWED COMMITMENT

After the nation set up these memorial stones in thankfulness for all that God had done, the nation renewed their covenant with God [Joshua 5]. Often times, when God leads us through a period of repentance and a time of thankfulness, one of the common responses for any believer is to renew their commitment and relationship with God. Some things God would want us to reflect on: What areas of my walk with God are stagnant and need renewing? What types of people do I need in my inner circle to help me grow spiritually? How have I let the circumstances of that last year affect my commitment to Christian community?

HAVING A GOD ENCOUNTER

What was so amazing about this process for Joshua and the nation of Israel was that these first three steps led Joshua to have a powerful encounter with God. Joshua had an encounter with the Commander of the Lord’s Army [Joshua 5:13-15] that was similar to what Moses had at the burning bush but yet unique and deeply personal for Joshua.

As you prepare your heart to have an encounter with God, here are some questions to consider: What unique encounter does God want to have with you in this season? What is the new thing that God wants to do in you? Why is it important to encounter God on your way to living out God’s promises for your life?

I want to encourage you to press in to God. Pursue Him like never before! May the words of the prophet Jeremiah inspire you today as you seek God:

Jeremiah 29:13 [NIV] – “You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.”