Seek God and Live
Isaiah 65:10 And Sharon shall be a fold of flocks, and the valley of Achor a place for the herds to lie down in, for my people that have SOUGHT me.
We are called to seek God. Seeking means to frequently resort to, seek with care, inquire, to practice, study, follow, seek with application, search for, investigate, and crave. It’s a passionate endeavor in which we are committed to going deeper and deeper into the truths of God and into Him. It’s about Him. It’s about our individual relationship to Him. It’s a voyage into His Word being taught by the Holy Spirit that alters our existence. This quest leads us into His unfathomable presence until we are consumed by Him therefore one with Him. John 17:21-23
The general ill-assumption is that once you are “saved” anything else is “extra”, but this thought leads to a belief that is in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:2 For years, this mentality was mine. Oh, I did the “right” Christian duties so satisfy my “requirements” before God, but I wasn’t seeking God, so I wasn’t doing what God requested. I didn’t seek God as my first love. Deep down, I didn’t understand my need to seek. I learned from the pulpit that what I was doing was sufficient. Nothing could have been further from the truth.
The majority of us lack or have lacked the understanding of the significance of seeking God. First, it isn’t made clear from the pulpit; actually the opposite is reinforced. Second, it’s widely accepted as part of this “extra” mentality. Therefore, many called by God’s name lack earnestness in seeking Him, because they’ve learned it isn’t necessary and not important. Thus the ill-assumption follows that not much comes out of it. When you consider it, this mindset doesn’t make any sense. When you read the entire Word of God being taught by the Spirit, it REALLY doesn’t make sense. Yet, we are too busy to abide in His Word and seek, so we remain blind to how upside down our thinking is. We heap up teachers and think this is seeking God. 2 Timothy 4:3. We faithfully go to church and think this is seeking God. We have been grossly led astray in our beliefs, and many are suffering because of it.
This mindset that seeking God is “extra” contradicts what a true reconciliation and union with God entails. True unity with God is seeking Him with all our heart, soul and mind. It’s putting Him first and nourishing a relationship with Him where He becomes our first love. Whether we seek Him or not affects the destiny and state of our souls.
In Isaiah 65, it addresses those called by God’s name (you and me) and the ramifications of seeking God or not. The consequences to seeking Him in truth are throughout the Bible, especially blatant in the Old Testament among the prophets who spoke of our days.
For those who DON’T SEEK God’s face, what is in store: (These are people who will draw near with their mouths and go through the actions of what they should do, but don’t truly seek God’s face)
The Sword
The Slaughter
Hunger
Thirst
Shame
Sorrow
Grief
Delusion
For those who DO SEEK God’s Face:
Eat
Drink
Rejoice
Sing for joy of heart
God tells us to seek Him. He tells us what will happen if we don’t. He calls us to seek to Know Him as He is. No one can seek for us. It’s an intimate act between each person and God. God designed it that way. It’s not about more teachers or more programs; it’s about coming to God one-on-one abiding in His pure Word with the Spirit as our teacher. It’s about pouring out our heart before God, allowing Him into the depths of our soul, and Him pouring His life into us. It’s allowing the Word to penetrate every area of our soul and life. It’s daily coming face to face with God Almighty. Isaiah 29:13
We are called to seek God with all our heart, soul and mind. It’s a one-on-one interaction; our heart after His seeking Him and abiding in His Word, the entire Word that reveals His heart to us. It’s talking, asking, digging, and listening. It’s about a real, deep, honest and growing relationship, the most important one we have.
Seeking isn’t “extra” – it’s life. Our souls depend on it. Take time to seek and you’ll see.
Amos 5:4 For thus says the Lord to the house of Israel: “Seek Me and live.”
Psalm 14:2 The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men, To see if there are any who understand, who seek God.
Living Light 
September 14, 2010 at 3:31 am
PREACH IT, Girlfriend! SEEK…and you shall FIND!!! Those who don’t SEEK…don’t FIND His SWEET FELLOWSHIP and PRESENCE! And He is just waiting and waiting and waiting for so many of His children to come LOOKING FOR HIM!
September 14, 2010 at 7:20 pm
Hi Sandy – It’s a life long journey of growing ever closer, isn’t it? 🙂
September 14, 2010 at 5:49 pm
I tremble with fear at the thought that something I may have said from the puplit would lead people into the state of luke-warmness which characterizes the church of our day! Yours is a potent rebuke!
September 14, 2010 at 7:25 pm
Hi Jelillie- it is a potent thought isn’t it? A lot of the churches, the structure and the system of them and how we’ve been taught what is important and what the Christian life entails fosters distance versus a true fellowship with God. It is sad and a great loss indeed.
September 15, 2010 at 11:37 am
If only the preacher would throw away his 40-minute, 5-point, PowerPoint sermon and preach this post, Rachel – and do so every Sunday for a month!
Difficult to do though when they’re not “consumed by Him.” Thanks for this.
September 15, 2010 at 3:50 pm
Hi Roger – Amen to that!
September 16, 2010 at 5:15 am
Good evening. One of the astonishingly sad observations as of late is how much of what passes for Christianity is little more than a form of godliness. The mindset of get saved and get with the (that is our) program is rampant and the comment by Roger Williams is right on. The forty minute five point sermon that generates a few laughs and allows everyone to get out in time for dinner has largely replaced solid preaching.
If we would only seek the Lord with a reckless abandon, we would be quick to shed anything and everything that superfiscial. (Philippians 3:14-15) If we would truly esteem the words of his mouth more than our necessary food (Job 23:12) the change in our lives would be amazing. And while this has been true of every generation, the times before us will demand such a closeness to the Lord. Anything less will spell shipwreck.
Something else that’s been on my mind for some time now. Of the seven churches mentioned in Revelation, the church at Ephesus would have appeared to be the most spiritual. And yet despite this appearance, they had left their first love and were in danger of having their candlestick removed. It’s so easy to slip into a “program” and drift from the Author of life. Their situation was more perilous than any of the others (even Laodicea) because the problems were all but invisible.
Sorry for the long comment. I’m making up for not being by in a while. (lol) this is a very timely message. Blessings always in Jesus name.
timbob
September 16, 2010 at 5:10 pm
Hi Timbob – thank you for your comment, much agreed. Your point about these times demanding such a closeness is so true – anything but an absolute LOVE for the TRUTH and a close communion with God won’t suffice – the deception is too great. There is a passivity that has been cultivated in the church culture when it comes to seeking God – it is truly sad because the ramifications of not seeking Him are very great. And I’ve thought a similar thing about the Revelation Church – as it chimes in with Matthew 7:2-23 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. When you really consider who those people are – they look like many many Christians today.
An interesting occurrence I’m noticing — those who don’t spend much time reading the OT – especially Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the minor prophets along with Revelation – can’t see what is happening in the church system. People may be reading the Bible but if you remain in only part of it you prohibiting the Spirit from teaching you some very important truths about the times we are in. I wondered why Bible readers weren’t seeing it – but then when I hear they hardly spend time in these books it made more sense. May we encourage one another to abide in the ENTIRE Word of God trusting the Holy Spirit to teach us all things 1 John 2:27.
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September 17, 2010 at 11:26 am
“It’s talking, asking, digging, and listening.”
I like that.
September 17, 2010 at 4:24 pm
Hi Mike – It’s easy to get in the frame of mind of using the Word to an answer to OUR questions, instead of the mindset of being open to what GOD has to say to us. It is a very important distinction to make in regards to our motive in coming to the Word – it makes the difference in truly being able to “hear” from the Holy Spirit.
September 19, 2010 at 5:23 am
It seems like I have it all. Even under 25, I have a car, house, senior managerial post, pursuing post grad studies, very gentle Christian boyfriend…etc. Best of all, I am a Born Again Christian. BUT lately its been about the career, about the studies, about things. God has been whispering to me to seek HIM and not the God of things.
God is my source, my life, my all. Everything I am is because of Him. Whilst searching for material and resouces on seeking God, I stumbled accross this site. Please pray with and for me. As someone commented, like the church, I have lost my first love. I pray that God restores and renews the first love in the hearts of all reading this.
Another person wrote and quoted the Bible that “seek God and live”. I pray that me and my house, particularly my family, will seek God and use His abundant blessings for His glory.
Jesus Christ my Savior I repent. Teach me to pray, to love like you and to seek You and live.
September 21, 2010 at 7:34 pm
P – thanks for sharing your heart. With all that happens in this world it is easy to get distracted from our first love. It’s important to establish a habit of daily spending time with God seeking Him. Our spirits need our daily bread, His Truth. I will be praying for you.
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December 22, 2013 at 8:37 am
I have been reading this post and the comments, and it blessed my heart. Truly, to seek the Lord is the most important thing in our lives; however, it is not easy, yet it is so exciting! It seems like it is that CROSS that Jesus was talking about. Thank you Rachel for writing about it.
December 23, 2013 at 10:11 am
Hi Ekaterina – Yes it is .. exciting and difficult at times. It’s a journey of understanding leading into transformation, for thought proceeds creation. In seeking for divine love and truth, it changes us to be a soul who can contain and abide in this divine love and truth. That process entails letting go of things that block that divine love so it can take ahold and expand in our lives .. which is the essence of “the cross.” It is experiencing divine love in truth and it changing you from the inside out.