HIDE - N - SEEK

Jeremiah 29:12-14a (NIV) "Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the Lord, "and will bring you back from captivity."

Our boys are creative in their attempts to fool us in their hiding when we play the family favorite game, Hide-n-Seek. They convince themselves they have found the perfect place and they are certain we will never find them. Of course we go along with it and even say, "Hhhmmm, I wonder where they are," knowing all along, but playing the game nonetheless.

Well, they almost convinced us one particular day when we could not find our middle son. The other two giggled and squealed because they knew where he hid. The anticipation of their secret grew as they followed us around the house. They could hardly hold it in that they stumped us. We looked in every closet, toy box, nook and cranny.

We almost gave up but we made one more gander to the basement where we figured he must be. We double-checked the rooms and behind the couches. Then it occurred to us one final place we had not yet checked. I gently opened the dryer door and indeed our mysterious middle son peered back at us with his winning grin. He had been found! I have to admit, this was a good one.

This silly game of hide-n-seek reminds me of how some people approach God. Some insist, He simply cannot be found. Others give up too quickly. Even more individuals protest God is hiding and too mysterious to be sought. Sadly, some give God a spiritual stiff arm, not wanting to find and embrace Him even when they know He exists. Others choose not to seek Him.

In my own life there are times when I fail to pursue and earnestly seek God. It is in these times when I am empty and void of spiritual depth and peace. It is also during these times when I become more vulnerable to give in to temptation and my mind becomes an easier target for accepting the deception of the evil one. The uncomfortable gnawing in my heart is only repaired when I turn and seek Him with all my heart.

I have found that a constant pursuit of God is needed for me to maintain an intimate relationship with Him. Distance separates, while seeking unites. The more I seek Him the more I find Him, the more He reveals Himself to me and the sweeter our closeness becomes.

Friends, as soon as we assume God cannot be found or we choose not to seek Him we walk toward darkness. The enemy finds no greater pleasure than to keep people from finding the true Light of Christ. The deceiver does not want us to seek after God and experience a thriving relationship with Him.

God told Jeremiah the prophet that if he sought Him with all of his heart, he would find Him. The word for "seek" means to seek with care, to inquire, to resort, consult, desire, or to search for. "All" means with the whole totality of everything we are.

In order for me to seek God with the totality of all that I am I must be intentional to spend time in His Word, time memorizing Scripture, time in prayer and time looking for God's activity around me. Practicing a God awareness requires me to exercise my faith outside of Sunday morning. I must search for God in each of my days and petition Him as we walk together.

It is apparent in these verses that we have an active part in finding God. Notice these four words: call, come, pray, and seek. If we call upon God, come and pray to Him, He will listen to us. He is always there. It is up to us to choose to seek Him in order to find Him. God would not have told the people of Israel to seek Him if He could not be found.

Unlike a game of Hide-n-Seek, God is not trying to hide from us. In fact, He welcomes us with open arms. God is the ultimate gift in life, the grand prize, the grand slam, the triple crown. In Him we find life, we find hope, we find fulfillment, we find forgiveness, we find peace, we find all that we need, we find everything, in Him. When we seek Him with all our heart, He will indeed be found.

Heart Work:

How much do you seek to find and know God? Do you compartmentalize Him to Sunday or Wednesday? How about the rest of your week?

What does seeking after God mean to you?

Pick a verse from below to memorize this week.

Heart Exam:

What prevents you from seeking God with all your heart? What part of your heart needs to surrender?

Is it time for you to call upon Him and come and pray to Him?

Heart Changing Word:

1 Chronicles 28:9 (NIV) "And you my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve Him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but it you forsake Him, He will reject you forever."

Psalm 105:3-4 "Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always."

Psalm 119:2 "Blessed are they who keep His statutes and seek Him with all their heart."

Psalm 119:10 "I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from Your commands."

Proverbs 8:17 "I love those who love Me, and those who seek Me find Me."

Isaiah 55:6 "Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him while He is near."

Hebrews 11:6 "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him."

Copyright 2011 by Hester Christensen. All rights reserved.