Seek

Did you ever play hide-and-seek as a kid? One person would cover their eyes and count to 10. Everyone else would go and hide. Then when 10 was reached, the person who was "it" would wander around and try to find everyone who was hiding.

Webster defines the word 'seek' as, "To resort to; go to; to go in search of; look for; to ask for; request."

Sometimes you could not always find everyone who was hiding in that game of hide-and-seek, but God says in His Word that He will be found of us if we seek for Him.  Proverbs 8:17 says, “I love them that love Me; and those that seek Me early shall find Me.” Jeremiah 29:13 states, "And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart." I recently heard a radio host say to put your name in this verse. In my case, it would sound something like this, "And Amber shall seek Me, and find Me, when Amber shall search for Me with all (her) heart." It really adds a personal confirmation when you place your name in the scripture. It helps you to realize that God's promises are personally for you. Notice, He said He would be found when you search for Him with all your heart. Don't come half-heartedly; give God your best.

A widely quoted verse about seeking God is found in 2 Chronicles 7:14, “If My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” Good things happen when people humble themselves and seek the Lord! For example, Jonah told the people of Ninevah that God was going to destroy their city. Their king said, in Jonah chapter 3, "But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands." Because the people fasted, prayed, and sought God, their entire city was spared!

What else can be gained by seeking God?

Blessings come from seeking God. Psalm 119:2 reads, “Blessed are they that keep His testimonies, and that seek Him with the whole heart.”

God's presence is with those who seek Him. Psalm 9:10 declares, “And they that know Thy name will put their trust in Thee: for Thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek Thee.”

God meets the needs of those that seek Him. Psalm 34:10 states, “The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing.” Jesus said in Matthew 6:33, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” In Matthew 7:7, Jesus proclaimed, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.”

God gives understanding to those who seek Him. Proverbs 28:5, “Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the Lord understand all things.”

Rewards are given to those that seek God. Hebrews 11:6, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for He that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.”

How often should we seek God? 1 Chronicles 16:10-11 says, “Glory ye in His holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord. Seek the Lord and His strength, seek His face continually.”

Some people seek after the wrong things. People seek after witchcraft. The Bible says in Leviticus 19:31, “Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God.”  Other people seek to be recognized by their peers. In John 5:44, we read, “How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?”  Still others seek after money.

1 Corinthians 10:24 says, “Let no man seek his own, but every man another's wealth.” Some people are too proud to seek God. Psalm 10:4 says, “The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.”

What should we seek God for? We can ask for healing of the body, salvation for our loved ones, to be used of God in a greater way, for revelation of God's Word, and so much more!  1 Corinthians 14:12 says, “Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.”

Not only do we seek God, but God seeks us! In Ezekiel 34:16, we read, “I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment." Jesus said in Luke 19:10, “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." I'm so glad that Jesus came to save me!

Be bold and ask God for what you need. Your prayers are always heard. When you pray, you are having a conversation with the God that created the whole world; nothing is impossible for Him to do!