Seeking God

by Chris Simmons

As Paul, in Acts chapter 17, sought to teach the Athenians about the one true God of heaven who created all things, he reminds us all of the need to “seek God,” and, in fact, to “find Him” (vs. 27). To “find God” is not some mystical experience that washes over you but is rather referring to the establishment of fellowship and spiritual reconciliation that all men so desperately need.

This was prophesied by the Old Testament prophets in such passages as Jeremiah 29:10-14, “‘For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. And I will be found by you,’ declares the LORD… ’” It was prophesied that the time would come that all men would be offered the opportunity to “seek the Lord” as we read in Zechariah 8:21-22, “And 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 many peoples and mighty nations will come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the LORD.” Certainly, that opportunity for men from all nations to “seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem” came to fruition on the day of Pentecost when thousands that day asked Peter and the rest of the apostles “what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37; cf. Acts 1:8; 2:1-11).

But how is it that man today can go about seeking God? It is not up to man to define how we go about seeking God. Consider the following requirements of how man must seek God.

We must seek Him in humility. We will never come into fellowship with God with a heart characterized by arrogance and pride. How dare we assume that we can define the terms for our search for God? Peter said in I Peter 5:6, “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time” (cf. James 4:10). Unless we seek for God with such humility, we will never find the fellowship with Him that we desire. Will we be willing to yield our will to God’s?

We must seek Him in truth. God alone defines truth and our efforts to seek God must be according to His standards. Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me” (John 14:6). God has always told man how we are to seek Him. Even in the Old Testament, we read in Deuteronomy 12:5, “But you shall seek the LORD at the place which the LORD your God shall choose from all your tribes, to establish His name there for His dwelling, and there you shall come.” Under the Old Covenant, there was but one place God defined for those who would seek Him to come to. Today, under the law of Christ, it’s not a single physical location (cf. John 4:20-24), but rather a single spiritual relationship in which we must seek God. That is, “in Christ” is the place where men must be today if they would hope to seek and find God (Ephesians 1:3-14; Galatians 3:24-27). Our path to seeking the Lord must begin with a passion and love for the truth (II Thessalonians 2:10).

We must therefore seek Him through His word. To seek God is to diligently study what He has divinely chosen to reveal to us. It takes work and effort then to seek Him. It requires our time and attention. That is why Paul exhorted Timothy to put in the work to be a faithful student of God’s word. II Timothy 2:15 states, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth.” Will we make the effort to study, both on our own, as well as every opportunity we have with others.

We must seek Him diligently above all else. We will only “find Him” when we seek for Him with “all your heart and all your soul” (Deuteronomy 4:29). A half-hearted search will not accomplish anything. Jesus taught in Matthew 6:33 of our need to “seek first His kingdom and His righteousness.” With God, there is no second place.

We also need to see the importance of seeking God NOW! A time will come when it’s too late. Jesus spoke of why there will be just a few who will be saved and one of those reasons is because many just won’t see the importance of seeking God now. Luke 13:24-25 says, “‘Strive to enter by the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. Once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, “Lord, open up to us!” then He will answer and say to you, “I do not know where you are from”’” (cf. Matthew 25:1-13; Isaiah 55:6-7). Both as teachers and students, may we grow to appreciate every opportunity we have to help ourselves and others seek the Lord.

Finally, there is never a time in life to cease in our efforts to seek God. David wrote in Psalms 105:3-4, “Glory in His holy name; let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad. Seek the LORD and His strength; seek His face continually.” We can’t afford to grow weary and slack off in our efforts to seek after Him through our continued obedience to His will.