How Much Do You Want God?

A monk living in solitude was praying by a river side. One young man came to know about that monk and thought of going to meet him.

So, one day the young man came to him and said, “Aba, I wish to become your disciple, because I want to find GOD.”

Suddenly the monk got up and grabbed the young man by his neck and dragged him into the river and plunged his head under water.

The monk held the young man there for a minute, and the young man with all his strength kicked and struggled to free himself.

Finally, the monk pulled him up out of the river. The young man coughed up water and gasped to get his breath. Eventually, the young man quieted down and was able to breath properly.

After this the monk asked him, “Tell me, what did you want most of all when you were under water?”

“Air”, the young man replied.

The monk said, “Very well.. Now go home and come back to me when you want GOD as much as you wanted Air.”

My beautiful Tewahedo Orthodox sister, it’s okay to have good things and to achieve great things in our lifetime. However, when we prioritize worldly pursuits over God, we will find ourselves in grave danger. If what you are pursuing in your life is leading you away from God, away from prayer, hindering your daily Bible reading, or keeping you from attending Church, then those pursuits are not worth it!

In the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 22, verse 37, Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ instructs us, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment.” Therefore, we must remember the importance of placing God at the center of our lives, above all else. Now ask yourself, “Am I living my life seeking God every day and every second of my life, or am I living my life chasing the fleeting things of this world?”

As Tewahedo Orthodox girls, we must love God with all our heart, soul, and mind. We should seek Him continuously, as if our life depends on it, because it truly does. We need God as much as we need the air we breathe. When we stop breathing, and take our last breath, nothing else will matter.

I pray we never stop seeking God until the day we die!

Selam Seyoum