Seeking God, I was looking for a glass-fronted bookshelf, and decided I might save myself some time and petrol if I used the internet instead of my car. But results, I discovered, are often more than a little perplexing. On one website, the page was headed: “Products Matching ‘Glass Front Bookshelf.'” Naturally, I was hoping to find glass-fronted bookshelves. Instead, out of the twelve possible items for me to select from, there was a vacuum cleaner, an outdoor gazebo, a cello, retractable crowd control barriers, sports bags, a multi-purpose ladder, a baby carriage, and a motorised folding arm awning. God is much more reliable. His promise is that we will find Him, if we search for Him with all our hearts. (Jeremiah 29:13)
Many times we believe that we have found God if we have got what we have desired. It’s not like that. We ought to seek God in all situations. We will find him even when we have not got what we desire.
It’s true that God waits for us like a father waiting for the prodigal to come home but what was the response of the prodigal? It was to seek His father, run to him.
29 But if from there 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
This particular verse speaks about finding God with all our heart and with all our soul.
What is seeking God with my heart? Or when do I search something with all my heart? It talks about an intense desire to see God. This passion to know Him, surpasses all my other intentions. I chose to sacrifice or give up all that is less important just to get this glimpse.
There are many other verses that speak about seeking God with all our heart.
and if you look for it as for silver
and search for it as for hidden treasure, Proverbs 2:4
Very precisely, the above verse mentions about hidden treasure. That’s where our heart is always. This treasure could be my family, work, money, children, emotional needs, Cleanliness, etc. How about making God this treasure?
The bible says, But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33
Amazing truth. However, my intention shouldn’t be to get this, I will seek Him but instead it should be that I will seek Him, even if I don’t get this for He is worth more treasures in the world.
Other verses which mentions about seeking God with our heart:
12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity.[a] I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.” Jeremiah 29:12-14
But how do I seek God with all my heart?
We need to call on him
Come to him
Pray to him
Call him for forgiveness, call him for repentance and call him to give Him your life. Calling him does not mean that he is not with me or is not listening to me. God is omnipresent. He is with us all the time. We call him for a relationship. We take the initiative and show the desire to love Him. We call people only when we feel they are important.
I love those who love me,
and those who seek me find me. Proverbs 8:17
One thing I have understood is that you cannot fool God. He knows my heart. He understands my in depth plea. He can see what others cannot see. That’s the beauty of Loving God and running to Him.
We need to come to him. Leave all our baggage and run to him. He is a Father who waits for us. We need not be ashamed or dismayed when we come to him. He is the same God who made Adam and Eve in their nakedness and He is the same today who see us in our wretchedness.
9 “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
11 “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for[a] a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him Luke 11:9, Matthew 7:7-11
In other words, we pray. We seek His face. When we pray, it’s communicating with God. We pray with our mind and soul because the bible says, love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind and soul. We can seek God any moment, any place and any time. I love praying and many times, I miss those days, when I used to spend hours together in the prayer tower. It was one of an experience.
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thess 5: 16 – 18
I’ve told this story before too, shared it on BBC Radio 2, and include a shortened version here because it will always be one of my favourite ‘finding God in unexpected places’ stories. It happened to Ali, who I met when she started visiting our Friday night prayer group. Ali soon became a friend, and started praying herself.
Ali loved visiting antique shops. One day while browsing one, she came across a beautiful old Singer-style sewing machine—the manual kind, mounted on a table with a foot pedal. When she saw it she whispered a simple prayer: ‘God, I’d love something like that for my place.’
The Bible portrays God as a gift-giving God. But there’s a big difference between praying for a need and praying for an antique sewing machine, don’t you think? Ali wasn’t praying for food, safety, or even divine forgiveness. Her request was a child-like wish to a God she was just becoming acquainted with. I’m not even sure how serious her prayer was.
A couple of days later, Ali was walking out her front door on her way to work when she saw a pile of junk by the roadside. She stopped, stunned. There in the rubbish stood an old Singer-style sewing machine—the manual kind, mounted on a table with a foot pedal. On it hung a sign that said:
“Perfect condition—please take.”
Sandra wife of Virjil . The New Hope Community is situated in the heart of the city between Old and New Panvel. We can confidently share that New Hope Community is a Church in Kamothe, Church in Khandeshwar, Church in Khanda Colony, Church in Panvel, Church in New Panvel because we are centrally located and these places surround our church Venue.
0 Comment