Continually

Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face continually.

 

1 Chronicles 16:11

 

 

Continually is the one word that qualifies and quantifies this entire verse. It's seeking God not just when things seem not to be going in our favor or just when the going gets tough, but it is having a continuing and relentless pursuit of God—His ways, His directions, His purposes and desires for our lives—regardless of the circumstances.

 

Regardless of the circumstances.

David discovered the difference between part-time devotion and devotion that is continual. He learned it through a tragic lesson that was mined in the irony of transporting the Ark of God. Historically, David had repeatedly sought God prior to every major battle, and God never failed him. When he needed God the most, when anxieties and tensions ran high, David was open and receptive to God's direction.

 

How ironic, however, when peace had finally rested on his side, and in the midst of performing a spiritual duty, David neglected God's direction, allowed his spiritual guards to drop, and in so doing failed to follow God's moving instructions on transporting the Ark. Consequently, one of his men suffered at the expense of David's error.

We exhibit the same tendencies in our lives, don't we—when facing struggles, when approaching the battle lines, we fall to our knees and cry out to God. But, once victory has been won, once we are in the midst of celebration, we tuck Him away and proceed on our own.

God isn't to be treated like a road map.

God isn't to be treated like a road map that's taken out only when we are lost, and then folded neatly away once we are on the interstate freeway. He needs to be alive and active in every phase and season of our lives. It seems, however, that we forget God when we get caught in the swell of momentum. Our pursuit of Him must be relentless and, here's that word—continually.