July 16 - Psalm 70:2,4

may all who desire my ruin

be turned back in disgrace. ...

But may all who seek you

rejoice and be glad in you;

Psalm 70:2,4

What is the source of blessing?

And, similarly, what is the source of curses?

Let me say this simply and clearly:

True blessing comes

from only one place:

if we "seek [God]"

we will "rejoice."

That’s the message of this Psalm. It’s also the consistent message of scripture. Think about it: There is no true blessing apart from seeking God! Only God is light. Only God is truth. Only God can bring true peace, hope, joy, and comfort. Thus, true blessing comes from only one place: if we "seek [God]" we will "rejoice." 

Conversely, true curses, true frustrations, true struggles, and true despair ultimately come from only one place too -- not "seek[ing God]." Right?!

Now, it’s true that without God, we may get glimpses of light, hope, and joy. But they're just glimpses. We’re seeing in the mirror dimly. (After all, God created “good,” and there’s naturally blessings all around us even if we’re chasing destruction. Mass murderers can enjoy cheeseburgers, for example.)

Therefore, the question is this: Do you want true light, true joy, true hope, and true blessing? Of course! So how do we get it?

Well, I just told you that there is one and only one path to blessing … it comes from “seek[ing God].”

Interestingly, however, there are two paths to struggle, grief, curses, and “disgrace.” Read today’s verse again. David prays, “may all who desire my ruin be turned back in disgrace.” Think about that: We find curses and disgrace when we 1) do not “seek [God]” and when 2) we “desire … ruin” for God’s people and God’s ways.

Wait … let me say that again: When we refuse to follow God’s ways (or bless his people), then we need to expect “ruin” and “disgrace.” (Or to say that yet another way: God won’t bless what He condemns.)

Wait … again. Let’s turn that around: If we follow God’s ways (and bless his people), can we expect “blessing” and “rejoic[ing]”?

Yes! Indeed, following God is a form of “seek[ing] God”!

Now, it’s not about “works.” (Do good things and be entitled to a blessing.) Nevertheless, seeking God is worship … and devotion … and commitment … and faith. Seeking God is prayer. It is obedience. (Indeed, we can’t pretend that we’re seeking God if we’re rejecting his ways.)

Do you want to be blessed? Seek God! Worship him! Pray. Listen for his ways. Obey his will. And then – no matter the circumstances of life on a broken planet – you will receive blessing.

In Christ’s Love,

a guy who had a

6^th grade teacher

who had us doing

about ten “Seek-and-Finds” a week

(I may not have learned much biology,

but I learned a good life skill –

how to seek for and find things in life

… including God’s presence)