I remember years ago, when I began to walk on my journey to find the perfect will of God for my life, the world-famous radio preacher of the Assemblies of God denomination, C.M. Ward, came to speak at our church in San Francisco ~ which at that time was averaging close to 1,000 people. After his public message, he asked to speak privately to the ministers and members of our staff~ about 40 people. We all assembled in our television studio to hear him speak.
He said, that to those who seek to be successful in life, there are many options ~ they can seek for money, power, fame, pleasure ~ or just Him. By this we all knew he meant the presence of God. We knew that the other things were also wonderful, but he probably was going to tell us to only seek His presence. He then went through the list of things that motivate powerful people.
We were all amazed because he shared his message and experiences from first-hand observation. And, his conclusion had a little surprise twist to it, because he said if you seek God’s ever-daily presence, you would actually get all of the motivating items on the list in their most achievable abundance. Wow! That’s the jackpot!
Now to be honest with you, he didn’t actually say it in precisely those words, but he implied it in his message. I just was not ready, at my young age at the time, to understand what he was really saying. Today I get it. It is as plain as the nose on my face. God’s presence is the Super Lotto winnings to everything that man can desire.
King David, who was the most successful king in history (to the point that even Jesus called Himself the Son of David), left his son Solomon to become one of the wealthiest men to ever live. I would certainly call David successful, a man who was motivated appropriately. But listen to what he said: “As the hart pants and longs for the water brooks, so I pant and long for You, O God.” Why this statement is so unique, is that the deer has a sixth sense that allows it to find the water brook through the most difficult of natural obstacles.
What makes this so special to me now, is that I find myself in the midst of the most difficult obstacles that I have ever faced, and it would appear that any one of the previously mentioned motivators would satisfy my needs. But instead, I am panting like a deer after only the presence of God and His favor. It is hard for me to describe the insight that one sees at this level of desperateness, but I am sure it is what David saw and longed for ~ and made him so special to God that He called him a man after His own heart!
Pastor Richard Gazowsky
A Place To Meet Jesus 