Intentionally Seeking Intently 

On a recent beach trip, dolphin sightings were rare. I only glimpsed a fin twice, and a third time I wasn’t even sure it was real. Normally, we see dolphin often. At one point, I heard a dad tell his son, “Look, there’s a fin.” I saw nothing—until I kept my eyes fixed on where he pointed. Then, at last, the fin appeared.

Most times at the beach, I’m reading a book, doing a crossword, or working Sudoku. Rarely do I just sit and watch the waves without distraction. And that’s often how we approach Scripture. We may open God’s Word, but instead of focusing fully, our thoughts wander to to-do lists or worries that weigh us down.

To spot a dolphin, you must watch the water intently. To uncover the richness of Scripture, you must keep your eyes fixed on God’s truth.

Proverbs tell us:

It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, and the glory of kings to investigate a matter. Proverbs 25:2

God invites us to dig deeper into his Word, where true wisdom and direction are found.

Jesus prayed for His followers:

Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. John 17:17

As we intentionally study Scripture, we see more of who Jesus is and what He desires for us. His Word sanctifies us as we live it out.

So, what keeps you from intentionally seeking God’s truth intently? Could those distractions be the very reason you, and I, struggle to grow in our daily walk with Jesus?

To see the more dolphin, I must intentionally and intently keep my eyes locked onto the waves. To see more of Jesus, I must intentionally and intently keep my eyes locked on His Word. 

What might you discover about Jesus if you set aside distractions and sought His Word with full attention today?

See also my first Beach Lesson for 2025, God of the Small Things.

Banner photo by Marten Newhall on Unsplash