Seeking God
Need help praying? Don’t know what to say or how to say it? Contact an online mentor who will pray with you.
“If you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul.” (Deuteronomy 4:29)
We make frequent trips to countries outside our own. We have learned how to make lists of necessary items, take only essential clothing, tuck small objects into corners of our luggage, and identify each suitcase. We make sure necessary medications and one change of clothing are in our carry on bags.
On this last trip I decided to leave my prescription sunglasses at home, taking only a much less expensive pair with me in case of loss or breakage. It was a good journey with all the goals of our project accomplished. Tired but happy upon returning home after two weeks, I began the lengthy process of unpacking, washing clothes and settling back into a somewhat normal routine.
Where were my sunglasses? I looked in the catch-all basket on the entryway table – the most obvious place. Then I searched in desk and bedroom chest drawers, purses, coat pockets. My somewhat relaxed search began taking on intentionality. I began looking in improbable places: wastebaskets, kitchen cupboards, the laundry room shelf. Could I have left the glasses in my car? Maybe they slipped down between the seats.
After several days of fruitless searching, I had just about resigned myself to the fact that I would need to purchase new glasses. As I unlocked my car one morning, I decided to take one more look. Stooping down to look under the seat, I found them! The black case had blended into the floor mat, making it almost invisible.
We frequently say we wish we knew God better. How is it that some people seem to discover more about Gods character than we do? Why are the experiences of
others richer than our own? What is the process that friends use to uncover “gems” from the Bible when our own attempts produce mere facts?
The word seek implies intentional pursuit. So often in our busy lives we take time only for surface investigation, a few quickly read Bible verses, a hurried journey through our prayer list. Our minds are engaged but all our heart and soul is occupied with self-orientation.
God promises to give us what we truly seek. In fact, in some mysterious and wonderful way, He joins us in the search and rejoices when what we seek is found!
God, I confess that my search for material items is so often more intentional than my search for you. Remind me, Father, that you will richly uncover what I desperately seek. Amen.
Question: As we seek God, we need to keep in mind that He sought us first. How can you see evidence of Him continuing to seek you out in your life?
About the Author: Marilyn Ehle
