For the past few weeks we have been talking about the people that we can be praying for on Sunday mornings here at University Lutheran when we pray for “those who are disconnected from God and the Church”. The last category of people who are disconnected are “the Seeking”. People who are seeking are looking for a way to enter into the life of God and the Church – but this isn’t always easy. As we noted early on with the “Unreceptive”, sometimes Christians are the biggest reason that people have a hard time with the Church.
People who are “seeking” are looking to start engaging the faith. They may be starting to attend worship services, they may be starting to pray, they may be asking about Baptism. They are experimenting with things of the faith, but they aren’t quite ready to take the plunge (literally perhaps in the case of Baptism). These are also the people that Satan is working on with fervor. They are people who are on the 2 yard line of faith, and Satan is trying to keep a touchdown from happening for the Kingdom of God.
Unfortunately, sometimes we as Christians may do the opposite of what Satan is trying to do. As Satan is ramping up his attacks on the person who is seeking, we may be tempted to just set things on “cruise” and not really engage with them – after all, it looks like they’re pretty close anyway. Instead, this person needs to hear that they are loved and cared for – specifically by Jesus. They need the Gospel delivered to them as unambiguously as possible. We need to invite them, support them, and continue our prayers for them – and our prayers for ourselves that we would be good witnesses of Jesus Christ in their lives.
If you know someone who is seeking, it is a joy waiting to happen – but it is not a joy that leaves us out of the equation. Just as with the unreceptive and the curious, God is working through us – His Body – to bring about faith. It is also a time to remember that Satan might be coming after you for your part in this person’s coming to faith. Remember that Christ has given you the armor of God, take it up and stand firm – the darts of the evil one will not pierce you, but you also are not to run away or slouch in your position.
This week continue to pray for all three of the people that you have been praying for, but pray and act specifically in the lives of the “Seeking” people that you know if you know any, and if not, pray that God might give you the opportunity to get to know someone like that. It is a blast to see someone coming to faith, this is a gift that we should pray mightily for and be giddy when we receive it out of the grace of God.