i did not speak in secret,
in a land of darkness;
i did not say to the offspring of jacob,
‘seek me in vain.’
i the Lord speak the truth;
i declare what is right.
[isaiah 45:19]
what does God say to the offspring of jacob (and to us)?
not ‘seek me in vain’ but–
but from there you will seek the Lord your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul. [deuteronomy 4:29]
the Lord is constantly calling his people to seek him–because what they find in seeking is his nearness, his presence, his peace–have you felt troubled this week, like i have? have you been overwhelmed? God knows that we will seek after vanity in these moments–but when we seek the presence of the Lord, we receive his comfort.
for i know the plans i have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and i will hear you. you will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. [jeremiah 29:11-13]
call to me and i will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known. [jeremiah 33:3]
seek the Lord and his strength;
seek his presence continually! [i chronicles 16:11]
i love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me. [proverbs 8:17]
“ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. for everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? if you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! [matthew 7:7-11]
but seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. [matthew 6:33]
now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. and a woman named martha welcomed him into her house. and she had a sister called mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. but martha was distracted with much serving. and she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? tell her then to help me.” but the Lord answered her, “martha, martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” [luke 10:38-42]
the Lord does not speak in secret he does not hide from us–when we seek him, we are never left empty–he is the good portion. he speaks truth through the Word his Son, Jesus. seek and be filled with his presence–it will never be in vain!
~ce