Why Does it Seem So Difficult?

During the years of 1949 and early mid 60’s auto shows were held in cities across the U.S promoting enticing hopeful buyers with new products. It was all about peaking the interest of a person as to new styling, mechanical items and issues found ‘on board’ with the various makes and models produced for the New Year. Also there were a few displays of “what might be,” in coming days, called “Concept Cars!” Many were looking for change from what had been to what could be a reality in the garage or a person’s driveway.

These were also the years…as well as many that followed…it wasn’t easy to find the shortest and best way from one state to another. That said; the ‘ten-way’ folded paper map entered the picture. Garmin; GPS? No such convenience. Today, with Internet technology it’s easy to find your way around a neighborhood or city even if you’ve never been there before. I remember not many years ago when we began coming to Phoenix, AZ to hold a Sunday service, that arriving from the West required taking Bell Rd. from West to East to our destination in Scottsdale. Freeways were scarce, and one stop light after another was endured to cross to the East of Phoenix.

Years ago, as well, it was difficult to find one’s way around when visiting Jerusalem, ISRAEL. Not only because of the lack of technology, but because of the lack of basic help of street signs. There were few signs leading to Jerusalem for the reason that God’s plan was for finding your way around the city would require time and effort on the traveler’s behalf. Even finding the location where the Temple of God was to be built was difficult as well.

Deut. 12: 5 reads, “But you shall seek the place where the Lord your God chooses…to put His name for His dwelling place; and there you shall go.” God chose a place where He would ‘reside,’ however, for His chosen people it would require them to find out where that was to be. It’s taught that it was David who discovered the site that was designated for God’s Temple, for in Psalm 132: 3-5 he wrote; “I will not cross the threshold of my own home to sleep in my own bed. I will not sleep or slumber, nor even take time to close my eyes in rest, until I find a place for you to dwell, O mighty God of Jacob. I devote myself to finding a resting place for you!”

David worked without end, day and night, with little rest for himself until he found the exact location for God’s ‘dwelling place.’ And find it he did! Psalm 132:13 & 14 tell us, “For the Lord has chosen Jerusalem; He has desired it for His dwelling place; this is My resting place forever; here I will dwell, for I have desired it.”

God wants us to find him! Why, then does it seem so difficult, at times to do so? It’s because a person can be given many things in life, but we can never be given God! We have to receive Him by individually seeking Him on our own. He wants us to work at finding His “home address!” That requires using the ‘road map’ that He has provided throughout the ages. The Bible!

No matter the fancy gadgets available today, we have to work at our relationship with God. How? Prayer! Bible study! Asking questions, and pursuing answers until we are confident that what we have found lines up with His Word. And before we know it we are like those looking for the ‘new’ in the design of cars available for the new year, we find we have moved into the new of 2 Cor. 5:17: “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold all things have become new.”