I wouldn’t consider myself to be what some would call a “go getter.” While I try and be faithful to what I think I’ve been called to do, I wouldn’t consider myself really “driven.” I think I put in a “fair day’s work for a fair day’s pay” . . . but rarely will I bring it home with me. When I get home, the things that I enjoy doing are pretty simple . . . and frankly, most often don’t require a lot of physical energy. I don’t have a bucket list that I’m checking off . . . or a set of goals I’m trying to achieve. Overall, I think I’m pretty chilled (though my girls might have other thoughts). But this morning I’m exhorted to, at the very least, be passionate about one thing . . . to be driven by one grand goal . . . to be in hot pursuit of one great outcome . . .

My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.   (Proverbs 2:1-5 ESV)

See the “if / then” argument? If you do this, then you will have that.

“That” is understanding the fear of the LORD . . . “that” is finding the knowledge of God. Hmmm . . . sounds kind of big and ambitious, doesn’t it. What’s your goal? . . . to understand what it is to fear the LORD. What’s on your bucket list? . . . to find the knowledge of God. Ok, why not add in “to discover the meaning of life” while your at it? . . . Good idea, it’s on the list!

Big goals . . . high desires. So, if the fear of the Lord and the knowledge of God are the “that’s” . . . what’s the “if”? Check it out . . . in a nutshell the “if” is hot pursuit.

If you receive . . . if you treasure up . . . if you make your ear attentive . . . if you incline your heart . . . if you call out . . . if you raise your voice . . . if you seek like you would seek silver . . . if you search as you would for hidden treasure . . . if you are in hot pursuit of God’s word, then watch out!

It’s a promise to claim . . . it’s a passion to pursue.

Jesus put it this way, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened” (Matt. 7:7-8).

God’s Word is God’s way to God’s wisdom. It’s not some good luck charm to rub in the morning through our devo’s. It is the revealed mind of the Creator . . . illuminated by His Spirit . . . available to all who believe . . . and accessible through our pursuit of the high, the holy, the lofty fear and knowledge of God.

If there’s anything worth being a “go getter” for, it’s the Word of God. If there’s anything worth being “driven” by, it’s the desire for the knowledge of the Divine. If there’s anything worth being in hot pursuit over, it’s the fear of the LORD . . . ’cause that’s the foundation for skillful and fruitful living.

Better get at ‘er . . . by His grace . . . for His glory.