Everything to me

The more I seek you - The more I find you

The more I find you -The more I love you

I want to sit at your feet -Drink from the cup in your hand

Lay back against you and breath -Feel your heartbeat

This love is so deep - It's more than I can stand

I melt in your peace - It's overwhelming

“The More I Seek You"
By Zach Neese 1999 CFN Music
from Acoustics of Heaven

Ronda, the worship leader at Crossroads Christ Fellowship Church - http://www.ccfnow.org/ can turn these simple lyrics into a twenty minute anointed ushering in of the Holy Spirit that overwhelms one's senses – and this I know first hand. As a matter of fact I pull up the praise and worship audio file from her church and listen to it almost weekly. It soothes the soul of the troubled beast within me – it offers my mind and heart a prominent sense of peace in times of concern. She is one of those folks that has a heart in tune with God and it's such a blessing just to listen, see, and experience Him minister through the talents he's given her.

1 Kings 19:19-21 Elijah went straight out and found Elisha son of Shaphat in a field where there were twelve pairs of yoked oxen at work plowing; Elisha was in charge of the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak over him. Elisha deserted the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, "Please! Let me kiss my father and mother good-bye—then I'll follow you." "Go ahead," said Elijah, "but, mind you, don't forget what I've just done to you." So Elisha left; he took his yoke of oxen and butchered them. He made a fire with the plow and tackle and then boiled the meat—a true farewell meal for the family. Then he left and followed Elijah, becoming his right-hand man.

Dale and I spent most of last weekend in Knoxville. We traveled there for the sole purpose of helping out as volunteers with this year's Dragon Boat Fundraiser for the Knoxville Area Rescue Ministries. KARM is one of the largest homeless shelters in the southeast (housing nearly 400 folks a night, and serving over fourteen hundred meals a day). And as some of you know already I've been blessed to work as a volunteer with them for several years now. She and I, both consider what they're doing through their ministries important enough that we filled up the tank, happily drove the six hour round trip and forked out enough cash to spend the night in a motel. All for the opportunity to get up around four o'clock Saturday morning to help anyway possible to make the day a success for everyone involved. As tough as it was for me to get up that early I recognize that it was even tougher on Dale, since she's still recovering from her recent surgery.

Our assignments throughout the morning consumed our time and energy quite fully, and by eleven-thirty or so we both needed a break. As we walked throughout the lakeside park taking in all of the festive scenery I eagerly introduced my beautiful wife to a couple I know, Burt and Carolyn Rosen. As I introduced them to Dale I also shared with them some of the details of her recent kidney donation to a friend. She punched me in the arm and gave me one of those looks, as she hates for me to tell people about the situation. Carolyn and Burt both were fascinated by the story and quizzed her as to the details. Then they genuinely expressed well wishes for her recovery and we parted ways.

What a nice couple! As we walked away I revealed to Dale that Burt was actually the President of KARM and Carolyn puts in almost as many hours as her husband does by working as a volunteer for the ministry. I think this kind of surprised her as she met them thinking they were simply some average, nice little couple I knew from who knows where. The fact is – is that Burt and Carolyn are as genuine and down-to-earth as any other couple. I've come to know that their status or positions in the community doesn't mean anything to them compared to the calling from God they have in their hearts.

I know also that for decades now their son has been gone. Homeless, sleeping on the streets of some distant city, or receiving help through an agency such as KARM - they have no idea as to where he is, or what condition he's in. For them everyday is another day in which hope lingers in their hearts that he'll walk through the doors of KARM looking for a real-life version of Christianity.

Working to help the homeless, hurting, and the disconnected of their community goes so much further than simply fulfilling a job requirement – it truly is a ministry. Driving six hours to work as a volunteer to help Burt and Carolyn was as easy a decision for us as it was for Elisha to follow Elijah. I don't believe we would hesitate one minute to roast our team of oxen right there in the field and take off following folks like Burt and Carolyn to serve all those in need. Just the thought of standing near them the day their son walks back into their lives sends chill bumps up and down me. It would indeed be a prodigal son scene for the ages.

You see the truth is, I like Christians that act Christ-like. I guess I'm just a little old fashion like that. I love to be around those that really “get it” rather than those that just sit in a pew on Sunday morning trying to find more of God. Over the years I've taken a real liking to those that are out there looking under every bridge, or underpass to see what opportunity He has given them to show His love just one more time.

To be quite honest, I'm sick of being around church people, I want more and more of my life to be spent around Christ-like people wherever they can be found, and I don't mind the drive to get to them. The neat thing about hanging out with folks like those that serve at KARM is the lesson they've taught me; that when Christ becomes everything to you – everything becomes about Christ.

I love A.W.Tozer's reminder about the importance of keeping sacred the calling Christ gave us, his followers; to deny ourselves and take up our cross daily and follow after him. In the book The Radical Cross Tozer writes; “Though the cross of Christ has been beautified by the poet and the artist, the avid seeker after God is likely to find it the same savage implement of destruction it was in the days of old. The way of the cross is still the pain-wracked path to spiritual power and fruitfulness. So do not seek to hide from it. Do not accept an easy way. Do not allow yourself to be patted to sleep in a comfortable church, void of power and barren of fruit. Do not paint the cross nor deck it with flowers. Take it for what it is, as it is, and you will find it the rugged way to death and life. Let it slay you utterly.”

Christ calls for us to take up our cross as Elisha did – immediately, with a purpose, separating ourself from that which we've been bound to, and then never turning back. Tozer knew, just as the Rosen's demonstrate with their lives; His purpose, His ministry, His calling must become everything to us – to me, and the way He teaches us to do this, is to first deny ourself.

If you want to see what this looks like - I mean to really get a taste of true servant-hood then let me suggest you read a book I just finished, thanks to the wonderful and generous gift of my friends Ken and Jane. It's entitled A Promise Kept by Robertson McQuilken. The level of commitment and love McQuilken showed his Alzheimer-stricken wife Muriel, and as Burt and Carolyn show so many of the hurting folks of Knoxville is as what should be our commitment to serving Christ, our Lord.

I know in my heart that seeking His kingdom first is what needs to become everything to me. Lord help me to reach closer to that goal today. doug

The more I seek you - The more I find you

The more I find you - The more I love you........