Many of us have heard and thought about God, but feel at a loss in seeking or getting to know Him. We’re accustomed to our ways of interacting with other human beings, but the thought of truly knowing a supreme being may appear to be out of our reach. We may even have a desire to worship such a person but don’t feel we have the tools to be successful in doing so. Yet we can be comforted in knowing that Jesus, “…the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost” (Luke 19:10/NLT). Jesus tells us in Matthew 7:8/NLT, “For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” We can be confident that when we seek God with all of our hearts, we will find Him. (Deuteronomy 4:29, Jeremiah 29:13).
The three ways I have sought and found God are through:
PRAYER
Prayer is simply communicating with God. We position ourselves to receive from Him when we, first, establish a relationship with Him by which we:
- Acknowledge, Repent, and Submit to God. Our prayer should be one of acknowledgment, repentance, and submission, accepting His Son, Jesus, as the Savior by which we are reconciled to God. We understand the first man and woman (Adam and Eve) had made us guilty of sin, and worthy of death, after which our Heavenly Father provided atonement for our dire consequences. Repentance is our willingness to turn from our old ways of doing and being to God’s ways. By submitting, we yield ourselves to His authority and participate in baptism, where we express identification with the Lord’s death and resurrection, carried out via the Lord’s gifts discussed later.
As we communicate with God we also offer Him:
- Thanksgiving and Praise. Gratitude, adoration, and worship for all that He is and does for us.
- Supplications. Making our requests known to Him.
We can communicate with God at any time because the bible tells us He is omnipresent, capable of being everywhere at the same time. “Can anyone hide from me in a secret place? Am I not everywhere in all the heavens and earth? says the Lord” (Jeremiah 23:24/NLT). However, it would be a good habit of discipline to schedule a time daily to meet with God consistently during periods when there are fewer distractions. We choose a time when we feel most alert and at ease to spend time with God, whether for 15 minutes or an hour or more.
THE BIBLE
In seeking God, the Bible is to be respected as the necessary guide for living a Christ-like life by the power of the Holy Spirit. It contains the history and future of God’s relationship with mankind and contains His attributes, character, and will for our lives. I’d say the Bible is the chief way of seeking Him; getting to know Him, and what He expects of us. Reading or studying alone, and/or with others, is crucial to strengthening our faith and growth. “So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ” (Romans 10:17/NLT). Further, we know that seeking the Lord through His word is pleasing to Him. “And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6/NLT).
THE BODY OF CHRIST
Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church, the Body of Christ. “God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself” (Ephesians 1:22-23).
As the Body of Christ, we have been given gifts. The bible names, these gifts in Ephesians 4:11/NLT: “Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.” After seeking God for His will for our lives in the place He chooses, and availing ourselves of these gifts (of which we may eventually become ourselves) we mature, growing in our faith into those who resemble our Lord in word and deed. “For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters” (Romans 8:29/NLT).
Perhaps the most precious gift working with us today is the gift of the Holy Spirit, who has been described as our Counselor, Comforter, and Advocate, and endues us with power for godly living and ministry. “But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you” (John 14:26/NLT). “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8/NLT).
We have so many resources available to us as we seek God. He has given us various additional gifts to help us to be successful in glorifying God in our families, careers, local church ministries, and simply, everyday life. I’m remembering 1 Corinthians 12:8-10, and the nine gifts of the Spirit: the word of wisdom, word of knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, speaking in tongues, and the interpretation of tongues. Not to mention the fruit of the spirit in Galatians 5:22: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
All of this and more involves seeking God, and as we do, we get to know Him, grow, and function in His grace as His very own children, dearly loved.
Ms. Rita's Minute 