How Badly Do You Want It?

There’s a story about a proud young man who came to Socrates asking for knowledge.  He walked up to the muscular philosopher and said, “O great Socrates, I come to you for knowledge.”  Socrates recognized a pompous numbskull when he saw one.  He led the young man through the streets, to the sea, and chest deep into water.  Then he asked, “What do you want?” 

“Knowledge, O wise Socrates,” said the young man with a smile.  Socrates put his strong hands on the man’s shoulders and pushed him under.  Thirty seconds later Socrates let him up.  “What do you want?” he asked again. 

“Wisdom,” the young man sputtered, “O great and wise Socrates.”  Socrates crunched him under again.  Thirty seconds passed, thirty-five.  Forty.  Socrates let him up.  The man was gasping.  “What do you want, young man?”  Between heavy, heaving breaths the fellow wheezed, “Knowledge, O wise and wonderful…”

Socrates jammed him under again.  Forty seconds passed.  Fifty.  “What do you want?”  “Air!” he screeched.  “I need air!”  “When you want knowledge as you have just wanted air, then you will have knowledge.”

Let’s meditate on Jeremiah 29:12-14 “…you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.  I will be found by you, declares the LORD, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the LORD, …”

I pray your desire for Christ’s presence & power in your life is strong like this, Pastor Larry