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Jeremiah 29:13 - Seeking and Finding God.

Jeremiah 29:13 (NKJV) And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

INTRODUCTION

According to God's wise plan, his people were to have hope and a future; consequently they could call upon him in confidence. Although the exiles were in a difficult place and time, they should not despair because they had God's presence, the privilege of prayer, and God's grace. God can be sought and found when we seek him wholeheartedly. Neither strange lands, sorrows, frustration, nor physical problems can break that communion.  [Life Application SB]

COMMENTARY PEARLS

The whole heart must be yielded to God, or the change can never be wrought in us by which we are to be restored to His likeness. SC43

If you will seek the Lord and be converted every day; if you will of your own spiritual choice be free and joyous in God; if with gladsome consent of heart to His gracious call you come wearing the yoke of Christ,--the yoke of obedience and service, - all your murmurings will be stilled, all your difficulties will be removed, all the perplexing problems that now confront you will be solved.  MB101

Christ first chose us, paying an infinite price for our redemption; and the true believer chooses Christ as first and last and best in everything. But this union costs us something. It is a union of utter dependence, to be entered into by a proud being. All who form this union must feel their need of the atoning blood of Christ. They must have a change of heart. They must submit their own will to the will of God. There will be a struggle with outward and internal obstacles. There must be a painful work of detachment as well as a work of attachment. Pride, selfishness, vanity, worldliness - sin in all its forms - must be overcome if we would enter into a union with Christ. The reason why many find the Christian life so deplorably hard, why they are so fickle, so variable, is that they try to attach themselves to Christ without first detaching themselves from these cherished idols. After the union with Christ has been formed, it can be preserved only by earnest prayer and untiring effort. We must resist, we must deny, we must conquer self. Through the grace of Christ, by courage, by faith, by watchfulness, we may gain the victory. 5T231

COMMENTARY

Seeking the Savior
   Simeon said, "Can I stay alive until I see him?"
   The Magi said, "Saddle up the camels. We aren't stopping until we find him."
   The shepherds said, "Let's go.... Let's see."
   They wanted the Savior. They wanted to see Jesus.
   They were earnest in their search. One translation renders Hebrews 11:6: "God ... rewards those who earnestly seek him" (NIV, italics mine).
   Another reads: "God rewards those who search for him" (Phillips).
   And another: "God ... rewards those who sincerely look for him" (TLB).
   I like the King James translation: "He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."
   Diligently - what a great word. Be diligent in your search. Be hungry in your quest, relentless in your pilgrimage. Let this book be but one of dozens you read about Jesus and this hour be but one of hundreds in which you seek him. Step away from the puny pursuits of possessions and positions, and seek your king.
   Don't be satisfied with angels. Don't be content with stars in the sky. Seek him out as the shepherds did. Long for him as Simeon did. Worship him as the wise men did. Do as John and Andrew did: ask for his address. Do as Matthew: invite Jesus into your house. Imitate Zacchaeus. Risk whatever it takes to see Christ.
   God rewards those who seek him. Not those who seek doctrine or religion or systems or creeds. Many settle for these lesser passions, but the reward goes to those who settle for nothing less than Jesus himself. And what is the reward? What awaits those who seek Jesus? Nothing short of the heart of Jesus. "And as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him" (2 Cor. 3:18 TLB).
   Can you think of a greater gift than to be like Jesus? Christ felt no guilt; God wants to banish yours. Jesus had no bad habits; God wants to remove yours. Jesus had no fear of death; God wants you to be fearless. Jesus had kindness for the diseased and mercy for the rebellious and courage for the challenges. God wants you to have the same.
He loves you just the way you are, but he refuses to leave you that way. He wants you to be just like Jesus. [Max Lucado Daily Devotional at maxlucado.com]

May I Have Your Attention, Please?
   Giving someone your attention is the greatest gift because your time is your life.
   When you turn your face to someone and focus your eyes on them, it makes them feel like you genuinely care and are interested in what they have to say.
   You can do this with God - you can turn your face to him in prayer. Just look up! Show him that you're checking in and ready to talk. Even though it's a good way to pray, there's nothing in the Bible that says you have to close your eyes or bow your head. When I close my eyes and think, I go to sleep. I like to pray aloud to God and look up, because it gives me a physical reminder that I'm refocusing my attention.
   Daniel did this when he needed God's help and wisdom: "So I gave my attention to the Lord God, to seek Him by prayer" (Daniel 9:3 NASB). After you listen to God through his Word, then the second step of prayer is to seek him.
   God makes many promises in the Bible for those who seek him.
   "Seek me and live" (Amos 5:4 NIV). As you persistently seek God, you'll start learning how to really live.
   "I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me" (Proverbs 8:17 NIV). If you're having trouble finding God, make sure you're seeking him with the right motives - wanting to know him and not just wanting to get something from him.
   "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart" (Jeremiah 29:13 NIV). You're going to find God when you really want to know him, not just in your spare time.
   "God ... rewards those who earnestly seek him" (Hebrews 11:6 NIV). Would you like God to reward your business, your finances, your relationships, and your future? Then seek him.
   "Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need" (Luke 12:31 NLT).
   When you pursue God first, you don't have to worry about all the other things the world says you need to stress over. Give him your attention. Turn your face to him, and show him that you want to give him first place in your life. [Daily Devotional by Rick Warren: https://pastorrick.com/devotional/]

ILLUSTRATIONS

   In the past, I've approached the new year as a blank canvas I needed to fill. Usually, this involved an ambitious to-do or not-to-do list. The year yawned before me, a gaping chasm of shoulds. I should get more fit. I should write that book. I should stop picking my nails. I should read through the Bible. I should stop yelling at my kids.
   None of these goals were bad. In fact, they were all good by most anyone's standards. Sometimes I achieved my goals. Often I failed. And then I realized there was one important element lacking: Jesus. Now, don't get me wrong. I prayed for help, stamina, and direction for achieving my goals.
   That's the point - they were my goals. My goals, however good and godly, were mine. And since they were mine, I was trying to attain them on my own.
   Almost invariably, I'd find myself working really hard to achieve them. When that happened, I felt good. When I failed, I felt bad. Regardless of the outcome, the process was tiresome, worrisome, and burdensome. Not Jesus's easy yoke at all. I definitely got weary and heavy-burdened (Matthew 11:28-30).
   The last few years, I've sought Jesus instead. No goals, resolutions, or shoulds. I put my focus on Him and His will for me. "Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I'll make sure you won't be disappointed" (Jeremiah 29:13, MSG).
   I can't wait to see what Jesus has planned for me next year! Isabella Campolattaro
   Faith Step: Try setting aside your resolutions and resolve only to draw closer to Jesus next year. [Mornings With Jesus 2024 Devotional by Guideposts and Zondervan]

   In the kitchen, my utensil drawer was stuck shut again. I jiggled and yanked the handle, finally releasing whatever had blocked it. Staring at the jumbled contents, I sighed. All I needed was the ice cream scoop. Shuffling through various wooden spoons, silicone spatulas, and stainless-steel knives - each created for only one purpose - my fingertips found the familiar rubberized handle. Now to work it free from the tangled mass.
   That drawer, with all its useful and helpful items, sometimes reminds me of the way life can get cluttered with busywork. Like the garlic press I recently purchased, I always find ways to cram one more volunteer opportunity or social engagement into my week. Sometimes I lose track of the point. Why am I doing it and who am I doing it for? With my focus split in a hundred directions, none of these things bring me - or others - closer to Jesus.
   I've emptied the drawer, carefully selecting the utensils I'll keep and which to donate. Now I'll be able to find what I need with ease.
   I'm doing the same with my free time. Things that distract me from Jesus or from serving Him better will be removed. Psalm 27:8 reminds me, "You have said, 'Seek my face.' My heart says to you, 'Your face, LORD, do I seek' (ESV). I want to declutter my soul, to seek Him with all my heart and find Him, and to reach for Him and recognize His touch deep inside. Heidi Gaul
   Faith Step: Pick a cluttered drawer in your home and clear the unnecessary items from it. Now apply the same principle to your life. Remove the distractions and seek Jesus. [Mornings With Jesus 2022 Devotional by Guideposts and Zondervan]

   I once heard a man say that his faith would be much stronger if he had lived during the time Jesus walked the earth and had seen Him in the flesh. The Bible talks about many people whose lives were transformed after seeing Jesus face-to-face. A short tax collector named Zacchaeus climbed a sycamore to get a look at Jesus and became a changed man. When Thomas saw the resurrected Jesus, he was awestruck with the understanding that Jesus was his Lord and Messiah.
   On the other hand, most of the people who were acquainted with Jesus on earth misunderstood Him because they looked at Him from a human perspective. And the Pharisees and religious leaders, in particular, usually failed to see Who Jesus was; even when He stood in front of them, speaking God's truth and trying to open their eyes.
   Today, we have advantages that people living in biblical times lacked, including the entire Bible to show us Jesus. He's pictured in the Old Testament sacrifices and festivals, as well as in the symbolism behind every object in the Tabernacle and, later, the Temple. Not to mention the Gospel accounts of His years of public ministry and teaching.
   We know Jesus is all around us. We see Him in the life of someone whose demeanor and lifestyle He has transformed. Or in the godly actions of individuals wholeheartedly serving Him or accomplishing things they could do only through His supernatural power. If we want to see Jesus more clearly, all we have to do is look for where He is working and join in. Then others will see Jesus in us. by Dianne Neal Matthews
   Faith Step: How will you look for Jesus today? [Mornings With Jesus 2019 Devotional by Guideposts and Zondervan]

LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY

Jeremiah 29:13 - Seeking and Finding God.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2016/20160412-1801.html
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2005/20051116-0822.html

LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT

https://abible.com/links/