And you will seek Me and find Me,
when you search for Me
with all your heart. ♥
– Jeremiah 29:13
But without faith it is impossible to please Him,
for he who comes to God must believe that He is,
and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. – Hebrews 11:6
Have you found this to be true? That the more you seek Jesus the more you find of Him? I know that I could live a hundred lifetimes and never know all there is to comprehend of who He is: the full extent of His love, kindness, mercy, grace, forgiveness…
… but I’m guilty of settling for less. I’m guilty of seeking Him half-heartedly, with a distracted heart.
The problem is not that He’s hiding but that I allow things to keep me from seeking Him. I push Him away when He longs to be near.
When you look all through scripture it is a narrative of Him drawing near: pursuing those who reject Him and showing Himself faithful to those who call on Him. He is near to the lowly, outcast, poor & desperate just like He was near to Mary, Joseph, & the shepherds…He became Immanuel “God with us” because it was the desire of His heart to make a way for salvation, peace, redemption, and relationship with us. “For the LORD your God is living among you. He is a mighty Savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With His love, He will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” – Zephaniah 3:17
It blows my mind that Jesus came to be near. That He desired me. That He rejoices over me. Wow. He didn’t keep us at arms length: He came to show us who He is; to demonstrate His love and communicate His desire for a relationship with us. He came to prove that nothing (not sin, not hurt, not pain, not ridicule…) could keep Him from pursuing us. He moved every obstacle that stood in the way & has the victory over every barrier that could’ve prevented me from Him so I would never have to question His heart. ♥ Every sin, lie, fear, insecurity, failure…He says “Those cannot keep you from me. I made the way. I am the Way. Come. I am near.”
“This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” – 1 John 4:9-10
All so we would never have to doubt His love. He sought us out. He pursued. He left heaven. He humbled Himself. To make a way for redemption. For salvation. For forgiveness.
And all He asks is that we seek Him in return…
Growing up in church I’ve heard all my life about WHO Jesus is but it becomes easy to forget and take for granted that He desires to be all those things FOR ME personally. He wants me to know and experience Him as Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace…that’s why He came: Immanuel. God with us. Don’t stop seeking Him because He’s never stopped pursuing you. “the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him.” (2 Chron. 16:9)
His name shall be called: Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. - Isaiah 9:6
