“You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13, ESV)
For several years, Daniel had thought about maybe learning about Jesus. His best friend, Stephen, was a churchgoer and Daniel had a lot of respect for him. Stephen worked at his church’s food pantry, helped pick up food for the pantry, and delivered food and other help to needy families. Each fall, Stephen met with a few members of his church to do yard work for shut-ins. Stephen often talked about how much his faith helped him find the right woman to marry and kept him from making big mistakes. Daniel visited Stephen’s church a couple of times but didn’t feel any spark of faith. Daniel just figured he didn’t have the kind of faith that church people had. That, or he just didn’t belong in church.
Daniel had his wild side. He was known every fall to go hunting with his friends, then party with them when the hunting season ended. Sometimes, Daniel’s anger got the best of him, causing him to blow his top. Then, to cool down, he’d drink heavily; drowning his hurts and regrets in alcohol. Daniel also was known to cuss up a storm. He worked as a mechanic in a shop full of guys who swore all day long. Daniel could sling swear words with the best of them. Being good looking, Daniel also was loathe to settle down with one girl. He enjoyed the single life with no commitments.
It always surprised Daniel that Stephen was a good friend. They were so different. Daniel swore. Stephen did rarely. Daniel fooled around in short-term relationships. Stephen was married. Daniel talked about his antics while drunk. Stephen often talked about a widow he helped or a family that was going without enough food to eat. Still, at the end of the day these two were very close. That closeness was about to pay off for Daniel.
Over a period of six months, Daniel’s life began to unravel. His mother got cancer. His girlfriend died in a car accident while on her vacation. As Daniel was reeling with these life-changing events, he himself had an accident at work. While working on a water pump on an old muscle car, Daniel’s jacket got caught in the fan blade. His jacket was shredded and his left forearm was gashed. He ended up in the hospital with thirty stitches. Then, the arm got an infection. Nothing seemed to help. Antibiotics weren’t working, no matter what the doctors did. Daniel began to wonder what his life would be like if they had to amputate his arm.
All that was wrong in Daniels' life began to settle in his heart and soul, bothering him day and night. He ended up out of work on medical leave for nine weeks. It was the worst time of his life. Everything seemed as if it was falling apart. For the first time in his life, Daniel felt alone and worthless. Then, one night when he couldn’t sleep, he turned on the television. There was a preacher on one of the channels who spoke about God’s love for lost souls. Daniel felt like a lost soul. As the preacher prayed at the end of the show, Daniel prayed with equal sincerity. Daniel gave his life to Christ and vowed to follow God’s will.
The next day, Daniel spoke to Stephen about what had happened. Over the following weeks, Stephen did everything in his power to help Daniel find a church home, start reading his Bible, and even join a small group Bible study. Daniel and Stephen prayed over coffee often. A month later, Daniel returned to work. He still went out with his old friends. He still went hunting. He dated. But Daniel was different. He had changed. He remained faithful to God in Christ. The drunk escapades were no more. The shallow relationships and one-night stands were through. Daniel was committed to God, and God was committed to Daniel.
As long as Daniel’s life went well, Daniel had kept God at a distance. Daniel saw a faithful life as limited and even boring. But when Daniel’s life fell apart, Daniel knew that God would help. As Daniel sought out God with his whole heart for the first time, God was there waiting for that moment to occur.
The scripture verse for today is small. It may seem insignificant. While reading the book of Jeremiah, you might overlook it. However, it contains a powerful piece of information crucial to anyone who desires a committed and deep relationship with God.
Jeremiah 29:13 was written at a time when many Jews were in exile in Babylon. They had suffered through war, destruction, and famine. The prophets had warned these people for decades that their sin would result in great loss. The people sinned anyway. They went on with their lives as if God wasn’t even watching. Then, everything fell apart. Warring armies invaded Israel and Judah. The Temple was destroyed. The walls of Jerusalem were broken down. Many were taken as prisoners and slaves to Babylon. All the exiles feared God might never again answer their prayers or heed their cries.
In the midst of their suffering and deep sorrow, Jeremiah offered up the words in this verse. God said, “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13). Jeremiah wanted these exiles in Babylon to know that God was ready to come to their rescue as soon as they were willing to seek God “with all of the heart”.
Many times, God will not come into a heart and soul because the person is not entirely committed to God. That person is not willing to follow Jesus “with all the heart and soul and mind and strength” (Mark 12:30). A relationship with God cannot grow and flourish when a person is not fully committed to God. If the person cares more about worldly things, God will be an afterthought. If a person does not devote time to spend with God in prayer and worship, the person will not hear God’s voice clearly nor perceive God’s direction. Just like a loving marriage takes devotion and commitment and work, a relationship with God needs the same. You will never truly experience the power of the Holy Spirit in your life if you don’t have a complete trust and a committed devotion to your relationship with God.
This scripture is a reminder that until you “seek God with all your heart”, you will not experience the wonderful presence and power of God. If you keep God at a distance, if you only pray on Sundays during worship, if you do not accept God’s forgiveness, if you will not listen to some of God’s commandments, if you hold back from doing God’s will… God will hold back UNTIL your whole heart seeks HIM. God wants you fully invested. God doesn’t want the leftovers of your time, money, and commitment.
It is not easy to be invest ALL your heart in a commitment to God. But it is required. Only when Daniel was committed fully to Jesus did he finally find himself in a real relationship with Heaven. Until you are willing to go “all-in” with God, the sparks of faith will never warm your soul and fuel a love and grace and joy that inspires others.
Marriage vows include “love, honor, and obedience”. God expects nothing less from your commitment to HIM. Are you “all-in”?
Daniel had his wild side. He was known every fall to go hunting with his friends, then party with them when the hunting season ended. Sometimes, Daniel’s anger got the best of him, causing him to blow his top. Then, to cool down, he’d drink heavily; drowning his hurts and regrets in alcohol. Daniel also was known to cuss up a storm. He worked as a mechanic in a shop full of guys who swore all day long. Daniel could sling swear words with the best of them. Being good looking, Daniel also was loathe to settle down with one girl. He enjoyed the single life with no commitments.
It always surprised Daniel that Stephen was a good friend. They were so different. Daniel swore. Stephen did rarely. Daniel fooled around in short-term relationships. Stephen was married. Daniel talked about his antics while drunk. Stephen often talked about a widow he helped or a family that was going without enough food to eat. Still, at the end of the day these two were very close. That closeness was about to pay off for Daniel.
Over a period of six months, Daniel’s life began to unravel. His mother got cancer. His girlfriend died in a car accident while on her vacation. As Daniel was reeling with these life-changing events, he himself had an accident at work. While working on a water pump on an old muscle car, Daniel’s jacket got caught in the fan blade. His jacket was shredded and his left forearm was gashed. He ended up in the hospital with thirty stitches. Then, the arm got an infection. Nothing seemed to help. Antibiotics weren’t working, no matter what the doctors did. Daniel began to wonder what his life would be like if they had to amputate his arm.
All that was wrong in Daniels' life began to settle in his heart and soul, bothering him day and night. He ended up out of work on medical leave for nine weeks. It was the worst time of his life. Everything seemed as if it was falling apart. For the first time in his life, Daniel felt alone and worthless. Then, one night when he couldn’t sleep, he turned on the television. There was a preacher on one of the channels who spoke about God’s love for lost souls. Daniel felt like a lost soul. As the preacher prayed at the end of the show, Daniel prayed with equal sincerity. Daniel gave his life to Christ and vowed to follow God’s will.
The next day, Daniel spoke to Stephen about what had happened. Over the following weeks, Stephen did everything in his power to help Daniel find a church home, start reading his Bible, and even join a small group Bible study. Daniel and Stephen prayed over coffee often. A month later, Daniel returned to work. He still went out with his old friends. He still went hunting. He dated. But Daniel was different. He had changed. He remained faithful to God in Christ. The drunk escapades were no more. The shallow relationships and one-night stands were through. Daniel was committed to God, and God was committed to Daniel.
As long as Daniel’s life went well, Daniel had kept God at a distance. Daniel saw a faithful life as limited and even boring. But when Daniel’s life fell apart, Daniel knew that God would help. As Daniel sought out God with his whole heart for the first time, God was there waiting for that moment to occur.
The scripture verse for today is small. It may seem insignificant. While reading the book of Jeremiah, you might overlook it. However, it contains a powerful piece of information crucial to anyone who desires a committed and deep relationship with God.
Jeremiah 29:13 was written at a time when many Jews were in exile in Babylon. They had suffered through war, destruction, and famine. The prophets had warned these people for decades that their sin would result in great loss. The people sinned anyway. They went on with their lives as if God wasn’t even watching. Then, everything fell apart. Warring armies invaded Israel and Judah. The Temple was destroyed. The walls of Jerusalem were broken down. Many were taken as prisoners and slaves to Babylon. All the exiles feared God might never again answer their prayers or heed their cries.
In the midst of their suffering and deep sorrow, Jeremiah offered up the words in this verse. God said, “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13). Jeremiah wanted these exiles in Babylon to know that God was ready to come to their rescue as soon as they were willing to seek God “with all of the heart”.
Many times, God will not come into a heart and soul because the person is not entirely committed to God. That person is not willing to follow Jesus “with all the heart and soul and mind and strength” (Mark 12:30). A relationship with God cannot grow and flourish when a person is not fully committed to God. If the person cares more about worldly things, God will be an afterthought. If a person does not devote time to spend with God in prayer and worship, the person will not hear God’s voice clearly nor perceive God’s direction. Just like a loving marriage takes devotion and commitment and work, a relationship with God needs the same. You will never truly experience the power of the Holy Spirit in your life if you don’t have a complete trust and a committed devotion to your relationship with God.
This scripture is a reminder that until you “seek God with all your heart”, you will not experience the wonderful presence and power of God. If you keep God at a distance, if you only pray on Sundays during worship, if you do not accept God’s forgiveness, if you will not listen to some of God’s commandments, if you hold back from doing God’s will… God will hold back UNTIL your whole heart seeks HIM. God wants you fully invested. God doesn’t want the leftovers of your time, money, and commitment.
It is not easy to be invest ALL your heart in a commitment to God. But it is required. Only when Daniel was committed fully to Jesus did he finally find himself in a real relationship with Heaven. Until you are willing to go “all-in” with God, the sparks of faith will never warm your soul and fuel a love and grace and joy that inspires others.
Marriage vows include “love, honor, and obedience”. God expects nothing less from your commitment to HIM. Are you “all-in”?
Today's video talks about losing a focus on God....