"I love those who love Me, and those who seek Me diligently will find Me." Proverbs 8:17

It's been a long time since I was that "new babe in Christ" while a Marine on Okinawa. But even then, two truths were fixed in my mind from theabove verse: God would love those who loved HIm and would show Himself to those who sought Him early.

Now I knew that the context behind this text has "wisdom" doing the talking as if it were a person. And seeing that my new-found Savior Jesus was called "Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God" (I Cor. 1:24), I learned to see "I Jesus" every time I saw the words "I wisdom" in Proverbs.

Now look at that scripture again - Christ the Wisdom of God loving those who love Him and revealing His heart to those who seek Him early. This is more than the general truth of God loving the worst of sinners - which he does. This is a love hat spells total intimacy - two spirits (Jesus and you) made on in a mutual, eternal commitment where out love for Him responds to His love for us.

And with the word "early" in the seeking of the Lord, I see at least three meanings:

1) the wisdom of seeking Him early inlife before the years make hard the heart and stubborn the will;

2) seeking Him early each day by arising with sufficient time to study the Word and to pray (before the mind is taken with the thoughts of the day) and;

3) seeking Him early in each important decision I must make, rather thanlearn too late the cost of deciding on my own.

My prayer: " I dedicate myself to loving You, Lord, more than anyone or anything. And I now discipline myself to seek You through the Word and prayer early in each day.