Week 9: SEEK FIRST

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:33

I thoroughly believe that the Lord has called Nicole and I to the mission of reconciling, strengthening, and establishing relationships.  Creator/ created, parent/teen, husband/wife, and peer/peer.  You know, a curious thing happens when you throw yourself into the work, the mission, the calling on your life.  God shows up.  The things that seemed really important – or really irritating – before (dirty dishes in the sink or forgetting to replace the toilet paper roll), are not nearly so significant when together we are creating place for a child to worship the Lord in an engaged way, or we guide hurting souls to find rest and refuge in His presence. 

One of my all-time heroes is George Müller (look up his stories at georgemuller.org if you don’t know them).  To me, he epitomizes this tenant of ‘seek first the kingdom…’ His journals are filled with answered prayers from a humble heart and an unwavering faith.  Here’s one excerpt from November 19; 1846:

This morning between five and six o’clock I prayed, among other things, about the building fund.  I then had a long time for reading the Word of God.  I came to Mark 11:24: “What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.”  I have often spoken about the importance of truth contained in this verse.  Applying it to the new Orphan House, I said to the Lord, “Lord, I believe that you will give me all I need for this work.  I am sure that I will have all, because I believe that I receive in answer to my prayer.”  This evening a registered letter came for me containing a check for three hundred pounds.  Two hundred and eighty pounds are for the building fund, ten pounds for my own personal expenses, and ten pounds for brother Craik.  The Lord’s holy name be praised for this precious encouragement!  The building fund is now increased to more than six thousand pounds. 

I pray, like George Müller did, believing that He will give us all we desire for this work.  And the primary desire of Camp Refuge right now is the land.  I am sure that we have the land, because I believe that we have received the land in answer to our prayer. 

Special focus:  Wait in prayer with us, believing in faith, that the Lord has indeed given us the land!