“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33 ESV).
It is mushroom season here on the farm. Last night we had a beautiful rainstorm, and this morning, with promises of sunshine, I am preparing to go out and look for morels.
Some years, I only find two or three, but I go out every year anyway, walking and searching. I remember one year I searched when it was 50 degrees and raining. It was cold and miserable. However, I was greatly rewarded not just with mushrooms but also with a close encounter of the deer kind. As I bent over to pick a mushroom and stood up, I was face to face with a deer! It was so close I could almost feel its breath. In that heart-stopping moment, we stood eye to eye for what seemed like a lifetime before that beautiful creature turned, crashing through the woods and out of sight!
For the past few years, hunting morels has not been as important to us as it used to be. It seems as though preparing and planting the garden are more significant than finding morels. We take a couple evening walks to search for them, but as we forage, our “to do” list is often the topic of conversation, distracting our eyes from the tasty morels we desire.
My “to do” list can also detract from my time with Christ, making our time together feel like another chore for me to check off. When I finally take the opportunity to talk with Him, it seems as if I am giving Him a “to do” list instead of enjoying His presence and seeking His advice. The busyness of my life chokes out my quality time with Him.
“The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful” (Matthew 13:22 NIV).
But today, as I hunt mushrooms, I will be hunting for Christ as well, hoping for a close encounter of the dear kind, face to face, eye to eye with my Savior. I want to seek Him like I seek the morels in the springtime; with a hunger for Him, anticipating His goodness towards me.
Here are a few flavorful morsels to spark your holy imagination as you embark on your own adventure seeking Him…
2 Chronicles 7:14
Psalm 9:10
Psalm 14:2
Psalm 34:4,10
Psalm 63:1
Proverbs 8:17
Isaiah 55:6,7
Jeremiah 29:12-14
Lamentations 3:25
Matthew 7:7,8
~ Teresa Wade
