all we need is stronger faith?

"God reveals Himself clearly to those who truly seek him."

- Stephen G. Brown

If you truly seek God
then God will clearly reveal...

Does it go to say
if you are not truly seeking
then God will not reveal
truth...
love...
hope...
life?

Was the Samaritan Woman at the well truly seeking
the day she bumped into Jesus?

Seems there were plenty in her day
whispering about her...
pointing their fingers at her.
"She does not obey."
"She does not live up to our standards
to God's standards!"

Whether she was seeking or not...
Jesus spoke to her
and clearly revealed God to her.

What about the woman
who was almost stoned
by those who saw God's Word so clearly?

Was Peter truly seeking
when he uttered his
three denials in the courtyard?

If God reveals Himself clearly
to those who truly seek
then it seems
we are about
worshiping a God
who is revealed only to those
who are strong enough...
focused enough...
appropriate enough...
confident enough.

Down in my neck of the woods
this is often the sermon.
"If you had stronger faith..."
"If there was only more evidence
that you were truly seeking..."

Oh my,
the ways a strong
truly seeking
preacher
can finish these sentences.

How do we know
a person is
"truly seeking" God?
What does she look like?
What does he look like?

Does she always wear a smile?
Is his life in a perpetual state of order and harmony?
Must she speak certain verbs and nouns when describing God?

Deep down inside my body, bones and soul...
I seek God's mercy and love.
I'm not always smiling.
I'm not always laughing.
My life is sometimes in chaos.
And my words often fall short.

Many days I am not strong enough.
Some days I don't obey.
Many times in life I fail to raise the standard.

I've been the woman down on the ground about to be stoned.
I've stood in the courtyard and denied.
I've chosen to go to the well for water
when I prayed no one else would be there
to clearly see me.

I am all these things...

Yet, I've been given a song to sing.
I am weak.
But he is strong.
Yes, Jesus loves me...
for the Bible tells me so.

Yes, Jesus loves me...
not because you tell me so...
but
because the Bible tells me so...
because God tells me so.