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Sunday, January 11, 2009

Seek and Find


Now devote your heart and soul to seeking the LORD your God. 1 Chronicles 22:19 NIV

“Ready or not here I come!” Faith yodeled in her walkie-talkie. I crouched low behind the pantry door in the dark, the smell of stale crackers, cookies, and bread settled over me. I turned the volume down low on my communicator lest she hear it through the door.


After searching the bedrooms upstairs, she called to me again, “Mommy, what room are you in? Just tell me, so I can find you.” I giggled and depressed the side of my walkie-talkie as I whispered, “I’m not upstairs.” I listened through the door as little feet padded down the stairs; all the while, she was talking. Her mouth pressed close to the speaker, she muffled, “I know where you are, and I’m coming to find you.”


My heart raced, and I pressed myself back further into the shelves. Little bare feet stopped on the floor nearby. The doorknob slowly turned and – “ AAAAAHHHH! I found you!” Faith squealed. We collapsed on the floor in laughter as I grabbed her four-year-old body and squeezed it tight.


Faith loves to play hide-n-seek, but sometimes she gets tired of looking and just wants to find me.


I understand. Sometimes I get tired of searching, too. For years, I searched for God’s will. “What do you want me to do, Lord? What are the plans you have for me?” But He seemed to be silent. I continued living “the Christian life” all the while wondering about His ultimate plan. No matter how much I hunted, I just couldn’t find it.


Somewhere along the way, I gave up and grew stale. God had a plan –For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV) But He wasn’t sharing it with me.


Until one day I was reading that verse in Jeremiah and kept reading.


Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:11-13 NIV)

I was looking for the wrong thing. In my quest for God’s plan, I overlooked God. God asks us to call and pray to Him, to seek Him – not His plan. I realized that my search for His plan was really all about me. I wanted to know what I was going to be doing in the future. Seeking God is all about Him – wanting a relationship and fellowship with Him.


I began my search for our Lord – searching through rooms and up and down the stairs. But I didn’t have to search long. He is true to his Word – I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me. (Proverbs 8:17 NIV) “ AAAAAHHHH! I found you!” I squealed. And when He met me there, He spoke to me about His plan for my life.


Have you been searching for God’s plan for your life or have you been searching for God? Set aside some time today to play Seek and Find with your Heavenly Father. I think I’ll do the same. “Ready or not, Lord, here I come!”



Visit Carol at sheep to the right!

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13 Comments:

Blogger Cathy said...

Wow, that's really good and timely. Thank you!

January 11, 2009 at 7:19 AM  
Blogger Mel said...

Excellent message!!!

January 11, 2009 at 7:59 AM  
Blogger Janet Benlien Reeves said...

So true! And what a precious example. Thank you!

January 11, 2009 at 9:59 AM  
Blogger Shannon Jacobyansky said...

A great reminder! Thank you!

January 11, 2009 at 10:20 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thank you. :-)

January 11, 2009 at 11:17 AM  
Blogger Julie said...

Carol,
This was an amazing post. I completely and totally agree... It's about seeking HIM... What He's been speaking to me lately it's all about love... Love the Lord with all my heart, love myself as He does...then I will be able to love my neighbor. If that is my all my life is about, then I have fulfilled my destiny.

I do think we put too much emphasis on "finding God's __________"...and it does become about us.
His Will indwells us. After all we have been crucified with Christ and no longer live.. We have the mind of Christ, the seal of the Holy Spirit. His will is in us...

In seeking Him and Him alone, everything else will be added to me. He will invite me into those places and things that He desires for me to be involved in....

I can rest in knowing that it is HE that finds ME.

January 11, 2009 at 1:42 PM  
Blogger Denise said...

Very true, bless you.

January 11, 2009 at 2:10 PM  
Blogger Betsy Markman said...

Wonderful! Isn't it an eye-opener when we realize what we're lacking is God-centeredness?

January 11, 2009 at 2:43 PM  
Blogger Melanie @ This Ain't New York said...

I need reminding to look for Him and not just His Plan.

Wow.

Excellent post, my friend!

January 11, 2009 at 7:32 PM  
Blogger Victoria said...

Just wanted to say thank you for such a God-centered post! Your description of your experiences explains mine perfectly...Only, I'm finally at the point where God has been showing me that I need to seek HIM.

Please pray for me, and the many others, who are finally beginning to KNOW God and make that the purpose of our being.

January 12, 2009 at 12:46 AM  
Blogger BethAnne said...

We always say we are seeking God's will or His plan, but rarely do we hear people say they are really seeking God .....good word, Carol.

January 12, 2009 at 7:46 AM  
Blogger Karen said...

Wonderful words that really blessed me! I loved the analogy...

January 12, 2009 at 6:35 PM  
Blogger LauraLee Shaw said...

Beautiful!!!

January 13, 2009 at 4:54 PM  

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