John 1:38-39 Jesus turned and saw them following, and said to them, “What do you seek?” They said to Him, “Rabbi (which translated means Teacher), where are You staying?” He said to them, “Come, and you will see.” So they came and saw where He was staying; and they stayed with Him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. (NAS95)
Two disciples of John had begun to follow Jesus. The two questions that are asked, the first by Jesus and the next by the disciples are questions all followers of Jesus need to consider.
What do you seek? There are many reasons why people follow the Lord. Some look for help out of problem areas in their lives. That is valid and he will help. Others are looking for blessing from God. God does bless those that follow Him. Others may be fearful of eternity and simply want assurance of their soul's well being. That is a wise decision and one you will not regret in eternity. But these two disciples had something more in mind.
Where are you staying? At first glance the answer may seem obvious to you. He lives in our hearts by faith, or He's at the Father's right hand. However, the question still burns in my heart. Lord, I want more than a blessing, more than an assurance that I'll be OK when I die. I want to dwell with You now! Every day. I want to hear Your voice, to know what is on Your heart for those around me. I want to stay where You stay.
Jesus’ answer is a compelling invitation, “Come, and you will see.” So they came and saw. We know that He is revealed in the Word. He told the Pharisees to search the Scripture...for these are they which testify of Me. We know that we can find Him in prayer. He said that we would seek Him and find Him if we search with all our heart. We have found Him in meeting with other believers, for He said that wherever two or three gather in His name, He is in the midst.
The question still remains, “What do YOU seek?” A quick evaluation of the activities of the last year may reveal how desperate you are for Him. The second question is also remaining for you, “Where are YOU staying?” I, for one, want to stay where He is, don't you?
Rawlin Falk is pastor with Maple Park Alliance Church in Quesnel.