Press On To Know

Hosea 6:3 ESV says, “Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.”

I love how the prophet Hosea calls the people of God to return to their Lord. The same invitation goes out for us today. God will come to us.

Something that always stands out to me as a theme in the scriptures is that God often calls us to radical devotion, but he is always prepared to match our hunger for him with more of his presence and glory. For the ancient Israelites, God’s presence was not the abiding presence we experience today. His presence was evident in his glory resting on the temple and his favor over the nation.

Hosea was calling the people to run after the ways of God, to hunger for his law, and surrender the idols they worshipped. Yet there was no question in Hosea’s mind that God would return to his people. Indeed, “his going out is sure as the dawn.”

The problem for many believers is that we give up trying to press in before we get started because we fear God may never return to us. I’m not saying that justifies us living in sin or rejecting God. I’m saying that the enemy plays on that fear to build a stronghold of uncertainty that can make our relationship with God rickety.

Today I want to remind you that God is faithful. When he calls us to press in after him, he is pressing in after us. For some reason, God gave us the power to choose him or deny him. We have the ability to accept God or reject him. If we stand hardened toward God, then all God’s advances will mean very little to us.

On the contrary, those who press in boldly after God find very quickly that he is pressing in after them. Soon the reality of his presence becomes something we expect and depend on, not just a rare event. This is the essence of abiding: God comes toward us, but we have to receive him. Better yet, we can long for him. After seeing God present in our seeking, perhaps we will resolve never to leave his presence and always be close to the Lord. This is what we have access to! This is our freedom.

  • Abiding happens daily in his presence. Abiding Daily is a simple and practical reminder to stay connected to the vine. Each prompt is inspired by the scriptures and designed to point you toward prayer and encounter. You can follow us on Facebook and Instagram. To get the Daily Invitation sent to you every day click this link or text “Daily” to +1 (779) 237-3914.

  • Our first devotional book is available on our online store! Abiding Daily: Volume One is a devotional book including 120 prompts from the Daily Invitation. This book is designed to help believers connect with God through the word and discover more of what it means to abide in Christ. Click here to learn more.

Nathan Lain

Nathan is a music producer, worship leader, and teacher. He lives in Kankakee, IL, with his wife and two boys. He has a B.M. in Music Composition from Olivet Nazarene University and an M.M. in Music Production from Berklee Online and serves as an adjunct professor of recording arts at Olivet Nazarene University. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Christian Worship from Liberty University.

Nathan’s work as a worship leader has led him to travel around the Midwest over the last decade, performing at churches and events. He now serves as the worship director for Orland Park Christian Reformed Church. He is the president of the non-profit ministry People of Freedom and a self-published writer for Abiding Daily.

https://www.lainmusic.com/about
Previous
Previous

Follow Me

Next
Next

Knowing God