Seeking God

God's desire is that all people should seek after him and find him. Those who seek God with all their heart are rewarded, but those who fail to seek him do so to their eternal loss.

God's heart is for people to seek him

God wants people to seek him

Acts 17:27 See also 1 Chronicles 16:11, 1 Chronicles 22:19; Psalm 14:2; Acts 15:16–17; Amos 9:11–12; Hebrews 11:6

God intended that they would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us.

God calls people to seek him

Isaiah 55:6–7 See also Hosea 10:12; Amos 5:4–6

Seek the LORD while He may be found; call on Him while He is near. Let the wicked man forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that He may have compassion, and to our God, for He will freely pardon.

God promises that people will seek him

Jeremiah 50:4 See also Hosea 3:4–5, Hosea 5:13–15; Zephaniah 2:3; Zechariah 8:20–23

“In those days and at that time, declares the LORD, the children of Israel and the children of Judah will come together, weeping as they come, and will seek the LORD their God.

God promises to be found by those who seek him

Proverbs 8:17 See also Deuteronomy 4:29–31; 1 Chronicles 28:9; 2 Chronicles 15:1–2; Isaiah 45:19; Jeremiah 29:11–14; Matthew 7:7–8 parallel Luke 11:9–10

I love those who love me, and those who seek me early shall find me.

God's opportunity for seeking him is now and is restricted to this life

2 Corinthians 6:2 See also Luke 16:19–31

For He says: “In the time of favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” Behold, now is the time of favor; now is the day of salvation!

Seeking God is an issue of the heart

Seeking God begins in the heart

Psalm 27:8 See also 2 Chronicles 11:16

My heart said, “Seek His face.” Your face, O LORD, I will seek.

Wholeheartedness in seeking God is required

Jeremiah 29:13 See also Deuteronomy 4:27–29; 1 Chronicles 22:17–19; 2 Chronicles 15:12–15; Psalm 63:1

You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.

Seeking God and his kingdom is the priority of life

Matthew 6:33 parallel Luke 12:31 See also Psalm 27:4; Matthew 13:44–46

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.

Examples of people seeking God

2 Kings 22:11–20 Josiah; 2 Chronicles 14:2–7 Asa; 2 Chronicles 17:3–6, 2 Chronicles 20:1–4; Ezra 8:21–23 Ezra; Psalm 27:4–8; Daniel 9:2–3; Acts 13:1–3

The consequences of seeking God

It leads to life

Amos 5:4–6 See also Psalm 69:32; Romans 2:7–8

For this is what the LORD says to the house of Israel: “Seek Me and live! Do not seek Bethel or go to Gilgal; do not journey to Beersheba, for Gilgal will surely go into exile, and Bethel will come to nothing. Seek the LORD and live, or He will sweep like fire through the house of Joseph; it will devour everything, with no one at Bethel to extinguish it.

It leads to forgiveness

2 Chronicles 7:14 See also 2 Chronicles 30:18–20; Isaiah 55:6–7; Jeremiah 26:17–19

and if My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.

It leads to blessing

Psalm 119:2 See also Psalm 24:3–6; Isaiah 65:9–10

Blessed are those who keep His testimonies and seek Him with all their heart.

It leads to provision

Psalm 34:8–10 See also Matthew 6:31–33 parallel Luke 12:29–31

Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him! Fear the LORD, you His saints, for those who fear Him lack nothing. Young lions go lacking and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.

It leads to protection

Psalm 27:4–5 See also Ezra 8:21–23

One thing I have asked of the LORD; this is what I desire: to dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and seek Him in His temple. For in the day of trouble He will hide me in His shelter; He will conceal me under the cover of His tent; He will set me high upon a rock.

It leads to understanding and wisdom

Proverbs 28:5 See also Daniel 2:17–23

Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the LORD comprehend fully.

It leads to renewed strength

Isaiah 40:30–31 See also Luke 22:42–43

Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall. But those who wait upon the LORD will renew their strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.

It leads to rejoicing

1 Chronicles 16:10 See also Psalm 40:16, Psalm 70:4, Psalm 105:3

Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.

Hindrances to seeking God

Unrighteousness

Hosea 10:12–13 See also Isaiah 59:1–2

Sow for yourselves righteousness and reap the fruit of loving devotion; break up your unplowed ground. For it is time to seek the LORD until He comes and sends righteousness upon you like rain. You have plowed wickedness and reaped injustice; you have eaten the fruit of lies. Because you have trusted in your own way and in the multitude of your mighty men,

Pride

Psalm 10:4 See also 2 Chronicles 26:16–18

In his pride the wicked man does not seek Him; in all his schemes there is no God.

Trusting in human resources

Isaiah 31:1 See also 2 Chronicles 16:12; Hosea 5:13–15

Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in their abundance of chariots and in their multitude of horsemen. They do not look to the Holy One of Israel; they do not seek the LORD.

Idolatry

Zephaniah 1:4–6 See also Romans 1:21–23

“I will stretch out My hand against Judah and against all who dwell in Jerusalem. I will cut off from this place every remnant of Baal, the names of the idolatrous and pagan priests — those who bow on the rooftops to worship the host of heaven, those who bow down and swear by the LORD but also swear by Milcom, and those who turn back from following the LORD, neither seeking the LORD nor inquiring of Him.”

Superficial religion

Amos 5:5–6 See also Isaiah 58:1–9

Do not seek Bethel or go to Gilgal; do not journey to Beersheba, for Gilgal will surely go into exile, and Bethel will come to nothing. Seek the LORD and live, or He will sweep like fire through the house of Joseph; it will devour everything, with no one at Bethel to extinguish it.

Seeking God through occult practices is forbidden

1 Chronicles 10:13–14 See also Leviticus 19:31, Leviticus 20:6; Deuteronomy 18:10–12; 1 Samuel 28:4–20; Acts 16:16–18

So Saul died for his unfaithfulness to the LORD, because he did not keep the word of the LORD and even consulted a medium for guidance, and he failed to inquire of the LORD. So the LORD put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse.

Consequences of not seeking God

Loss of life

2 Chronicles 15:13 See also Deuteronomy 13:6–10

And whoever would not seek the LORD, the God of Israel, would be put to death, whether young or old, man or woman.

Loss of salvation

Psalm 119:155

Salvation is far from the wicked because they do not seek Your statutes.