Heart Tracks - Who, What, Owns Me?

    Whatever we seek owns us.  That's a strong statement I know, but that which we give our attentions to, our passion, is that which lays claim to us.  What is it that we seek today?  Position, provision, security?  The applause and recognition of men, even of the church?  Do we have what we think are  even nobler desires, the winning of souls, the building of the Kingdom, the advancement of the gospel?  All of these have one thing in common: None of them is Christ.  And, if none of them is Christ, yet we have given our hearts to the laying hold of any of them, then we, along with our hearts, are owned by that which is not Christ.  If we are owned by anything or anyone but Him, then we are in bondage, even if those desires seem to be the purest possible.

     Mark 1:36 reads, "And Simon and those who were with him, searched for Him."  Simon Peter, to put it bluntly, could be a real dunderhead.  He spoke and made observations and judgements before thinking.  He made promises he couldn't keep.  He was often led of his flesh rather than His Spirit.  He could be remarkably courageous, and yet remarkably cowardly.  Yet in all of this, one aspect of his character remained consistent.  He was always seeking after Jesus, and usually, when he sought, others that were with him were seeking Him too.  On the stormswept sea when he came walking to Him, during the night of both his and the Lord's trial, at the empty tomb, and after the resurrection, when he beheld Him on the shore.  Peter was known for many things, but the greatest of them was that he was a seeker after Christ.  Many things sought to distract him, and at times did distract him, but none of these things owned his heart.  They might hinder him for a time, but they could not hold him, for he, and his heart were held, owned, by Christ.  What holds, owns, yours and mine?
    What do those around us see us spending our life energy seeking?  Who and what gets the best of us?  Our jobs?  Seeing to the security and well-being of our families and ourselves?  Making sure that life goes as well and as smoothly as possible?  Ministry?  Do we seek to build a Kingdom that has His name, but our imprint?  One that enables us to make a name for ourselves (and Him too of course)?  We can be sure that there will be many who join us in the search for these things, who will willingly be owned by them.  Who and how many would say of us that we truly seek first His Kingdom, His righteousness, Himself?  Are others seeking Him because their hearts have been moved by our seeking of Him?  Are our neighbors, co-workers, families, and fellow members of the Body found among those "others."  Who is with us in our search, and what really, are we searching for?
    What has our heart has us?  What has our heart today?  Who has our heart today?  None of us are really our own, so whose are we really?

Blessings,

Pastor O