Are you seeking? … for? Have you found what you are seeking? Are you in ‘possession’ of what you sought? What are you doing with the results of what you found? Honestly, sometimes we really aren’t certain about what we think we are seeking. Since the Father doesn’t play games, doesn’t tempt, doesn’t withhold any good thing (Psalms 84:11) have you gone to Him and asked for help? I am constantly amazed that the last one we tend to turn to is the One holding all the answers. I do this too.
Matthew 7:7-8 makes it quite clear… if we seek, we WILL find. However, that does require us to know what it is we seek. While discovering is one of my favorite things to do and basically without forethought… still, when we are in need, we need to be specific or we may not see what we are seeking. Scripture also tells us ‘how’ to come, Hebrews 11:6
“But without faith it is impossible to [walk with God and] please Him, for whoever comes [near] to God must necessarily] believe that God exists and that He rewards those who [earnestly and diligently] seek Him.”
Logical – yes. Though sometimes the cares of the world and the fight we seem to continually fight causes us to waver. Everything… as in EVERYTHING we do and that we are, is really based in our faith. Without it…. no foundation, and only a wondering ‘hope’. That does not define ‘abundant’ in my world of words. Jesus told us He came to bring us life and life abundantly [John 10:10]
“The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows].”
Just so there is no misunderstanding: the thief is the devil and the ‘they’ is us – everyone who has been born again, who has made Jesus their Lord. WE get the abundant life. Isn’t that worth seeking? Then again, it has always been ours though I doubt we’ve taken the time to discover how the Lord defines ‘abundant’.
We sometimes forget that God gives us a measure of faith [Romans 12:3], and we can move mountains with our faith [Mark 11:23] and John makes it very clear that it is our faith that pleases the Father and that we will be rewarded. In my world, seeking begins the journey of understanding. And understanding is a firm foundation for our faith. This is merely a quick overview of faith and what it DOES. Faith is a doer. Like love, like being the Lord’s Ambassador and workman and so many other qualities – they are action words.
A founding principle is that we begin with the realization that we must abide in Him.
“The one who remains in Me and I in him bears much fruit, for [otherwise] apart from Me [that is, cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing”
That nugget in John 15:4-11 is summed up in verse 5. What first caught my eye was the promise of fruitfulness. Abiding gives us the assurance of fruitful. We have never been tossed out on our own. It is our unity with the Lord that provides our strength to be and do who we are. I would argue that fruitfulness is a worthy quality to seek – and in John we see how we can. Abide.
How does this discussion relate to seeking? It’s the foundation, it’s the motivation and the activity of seeking. Seeking is how we grow and mature – it’s how we begin our journey of understanding. Seeking is a worthwhile activity because Matthew tells us that we we seek and keep on seeking… we will find (Matthew 7:7).
