When He is Sought

It has been far too long since I have taken the time to write here. I've been thinking this evening about what it means to be seeking the Lord with all of my heart. It is something that we are supposed to do at all times and yet, it is so easy to seek Him with parts of my heart. As Pastor Tim said several years ago, our hearts are idol factories. God has given us good things in life to pursue for His glory and what it joy it is to pursue them when He is kept at the center! It is when He becomes secondary that we run into big problems. It is so easy to take what He meant for His glory and use it for personal gain--especially since what He desires to be for His glory is also for our good! I was readings several passages this evening and have been reminded of this:

Now set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord your God; arise, therefore, and build the sanctuary of the Lord God, so that you may bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord and the holy vessels of God into the house that is to be built for the name of the Lord.”

So now, in the sight of all Israel, the assembly of the Lord, and in the hearing of our God, observe and seek after all the commandments of the Lord your God so that you may possess the good land and bequeath it to your sons after you forever.

He did evil because he did not set his heart to seek the Lord.

And if you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you.

Jehoshaphat was afraid and turned his attention to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.

He continued to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding through the vision of God; and as long as he sought the Lord, God prospered him.

The Lord has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men To see if there are any who understand, Who seek after God.

When You said, “Seek My face,” my heart said to You, “Your face, O Lord, I shall seek.”

The young lions do lack and suffer hunger; But they who seek the Lord shall not be in want of any good thing.

Fill their faces with dishonor, That they may seek Your name, O Lord.

Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face continually.

Evil men do not understand justice, But those who seek the Lord understand all things.

Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help And rely on horses, And trust in chariots because they are many And in horsemen because they are very strong, But they do not look to the Holy One of Israel, nor seek the Lord!

Seek the Lord while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near.

The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, To the person who seeks Him.

So I gave my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth and ashes.

Afterward the sons of Israel will return and seek the Lord their God and David their king; and they will come trembling to the Lord and to His goodness in the last days.

Sow with a view to righteousness, Reap in accordance with kindness; Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the Lord Until He comes to rain righteousness on you.

For thus says the Lord to the house of Israel, “Seek Me that you may live.

Seek the Lord, All you humble of the earth Who have carried out His ordinances; Seek righteousness, seek humility. Perhaps you will be hidden In the day of the Lord’s anger.

The inhabitants of one will go to another, saying, “Let us go at once to entreat the favor of the Lord, and to seek the Lord of hosts; I will also go.”

So that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, And all the Gentiles who are called by My name,’

I highly recommend reading these in context, but it is clear from all these examples in scripture that there is huge blessing when we seek the Lord with all of our hearts... in fact, He promises to be found by us when we seek Him with all of our hearts. We will always go the wrong way when we do not seek Him! We naturally do the things that are not pleasing to Him. But what a blessing it is that we can have a personal relationship with the God of all the earth! We don't serve a God that is far off, but One who has given us direct access to Himself through the blood of Christ! He longs to be near to us an for us to be near to Him! May we continually seek Him with humility and submit ourselves fully to Him.