How hungry for God are you? Pursuing Him is about passion. Pursuit is the tenth principle in my book The Posture Principle: A practical guide to embracing your true calling. As normal, I will include one quote and make three points for your reflection.

‘Pursuit… is a hunger for God that is never stilled, because the more we know Him and spend time with Him, the more we want of Him and His presence.’ Martina Davis, The Posture Principle: A practical guide to embracing your true calling.

Why is Pursuit important? We cannot live our lives without God. I have compared each principle in my book with a vertebra in our spine. If we do not pursue our God, our spiritual spine will be weakened, and eventually it will crumble. He is a God of love, which means passion is involved. It matters to Him whether we are fanning a fierce flame of love for Him within ourselves – just see what He says to the Church at Laodicea (In the Bible at Revelation 3:15). He is our Father, our Lover, our Lord, and the One Who fills us with refreshing spiritual waters. Pursuit is not an option. He deserves all we’ve got. Run toward Him, fierce, strong and humble – He waits with open arms.

What are some scriptural examples? Paul in his letter to Timothy (see it in the Bible at 2 Timothy 1:6) tells him to fan the flame, rekindle the fire of the gift within him – that does not sound tame, casual or lazy. It is active. It brings power, effectiveness and fruit in our lives if we ourselves fan our passionate pursuit into flame. In the letter to the Hebrews we are instructed to run the race set before us with endurance, laying aside every weight that holds us down, and every sin which is a snare for us, and fixing our eyes on Jesus and His example (see Hebrews 12:1-2) – this is pursuit. We are running the race of our lives with Him. He is cheering us on!

How do we do this? There are many ways – several of which I have shared in my book. At certain times, we will need to work harder, when it feels like climbing a steep and rocky mountain, perhaps occasionally missing our path in the mist, or needing to stop and gain breath – at others it is like surfing a glistening wave with ease and flow. At specific times He will call and draw us to Himself in quiet, even more than normal, where we wait, and wait, in simple trust. Contemplation, meditation, worship, praise, thanksgiving, the gift of tongues, prayer, soaking, are great disciplines to use. The consistent practice of values He has taught us, learning and putting into our lives the principles that stand us in good stead in the race of life, is crucial. As is the battle for the mind, which is spiritual warfare – capturing our thoughts to Jesus. Reading widely, learning from ‘spiritual fathers and mothers’, enjoying fellowship, all fan the flame of pursuit.

Be blessed in your pursuit of God! Martina