Sunday Scripture
I despise looking for things. As a mum, my least favorite words in the English language are, “Muu-uuum, where’s my [fill in the missing item]?” I go to great lengths, personally, to avoid ever having to look for things: keys always in the same purse pocket, phone plugged in, glasses on my face or in their case, planner on the kitchen counter, all jewelry on bureau. Even so, mental lapses happen, and I, occasionally, have to go swooping through the house, scanning all horizontal surfaces with a knot in my stomach.
Could this be why I find so much comfort and enjoyment in Jeremiah’s words to God’s people in exile?
You will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord…”
Jeremiah 29:12-14
These words are addressed to a nation of disobedient, distractable, and wayward people. Nebuchadnezzar had carried them off to Babylon as punishment after years of warning and pleading from God’s faithful prophets. It was God’s idea to use a pagan nation to jerk their wandering hearts to attention, but nonetheless, God is signaling iminence and availability, assuring them that they have God’s unwavering attention.
Given God’s track record of merciful forgiveness and gracious availability, do you imagine God playing hard to get with you?
If you feel the absence of God today, could it be that you are looking for the wrong Person?
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Is it possible that God isn’t who you thought God was? Are you seeking the “God” your parents talked about but didn’t really know? Would the God you are looking for vote a straight Republican or Democratic ticket? Are you looking for a feel-good savior to balance your checking account and fix all your problems?
Maybe it’s time to examine your assumptions about God. The truth is that God is untamed and untame-able, given to actions that I cannot explain.
When you cannot absorb your present situation, when the storms have dredged up a load of sludge and debris you can’t sort through alone, challenge yourself to assume that God wants to be known. Turn toward God–not away from God in anger and disappointment!
Commit yourself to looking for God in the one place God promises to reveal himself–the written Word. Begin by making a list of characteristics of God that you discover in whatever scripture passage you are reading.
Seek God through prayer, honestly spilling out your confusion into God’s ear. Make time in your day for silent waiting before God, and tell God that you are willing to trust the mystery of his good intentions toward you.
I’m praying for you in the search,
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God’s Word – ever living, ever speaking, ever true. I know just where to find Him. So grateful He has given us His written Word!
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Ever speaking! May we listen well!
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Yes, God is ever available through His Word. May we seek Him with all our hearts today.
Blessings, Michele!
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With all our hearts! Knowing, too, that he is the first seeker and finder of our souls.
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God is always available through His Word. God’s Word is true and provides hope and peace for our weary souls. Thank you Michelle.
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Yes, may we hold ourselves before it every day.
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Our seeking for God begins and ends in his Word – truth and wisdom, and so much more.
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Michele, thank you for this wonderful study and lesson within. Blessings.
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I remember the first time someone suggested looking for evidence of God’s character in whatever part of the Bible you find yourself. At the time Romans was my focus; the list of attributes grew quite lengthy! It’s wonderfully affirming to see how multi-faceted He is with his love, compassion, faithfulness, wisdom, guidance, generosity, and more. All that goodness is directed toward us, His children! “The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works” (Psalm 145:9).
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You must have collected a bodacious pile of journals in your years of following hard after God. What a record of his faithfulness and beauty you are compiling!
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Although I have accumulated a number of journals there would be many more if I hadn’t used looseleaf notebooks most of the time. Some of the most meaningful studies are stored in a file cabinet drawer but many others I threw away as we moved from parsonage to parsonage! Just too much paper!!
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Please know that I give the following advice with my tongue firmly planted in my cheek, but reading your post made me think about St. Anthony of Padua. He is the saint of lost items.
I loved the message you present here, Michele. I especially appreciated this line: “The truth is that God is untamed and untame-able, given to actions that I cannot explain.” So true and so good!
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I think that’s the hardest thing for me to absorb—the unpredictability of his ways!
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What a wonderful connection with that verse and the phrase, “where is…” I will always connect the two in my mind now and say a little prayer to help find whatever it is that needs finding. Also, to give me patience with the person who disturbed my quiet time to help them find it when if they had put it away to begin with it wouldn’t be lost….usually my husband.
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Oh, I will always need that prayer for patience with the person drawing me into the search!
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This is such a beautiful reminder that we are made in God’s image–not he in ours.
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Oooh! That’s good!
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Michele, I love how you wove this together with the thought provoking statement, “If you feel the absence of God today, could it be that you are looking for the wrong Person?” Indeed, who am I looking for, or expecting to find? I’m going to meditate on this for a bit. Thank you!
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It’s been on my mind all week. Thanks for pondering with me.
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“Is it possible that God isn’t who you thought God was?” Such an important question. Many people go their idea of God without knowing him as he is. How we need to diligently search for him in his word.
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It’s certainly not as if we could ever exhaust all there is to know of God, but we can search diligently, for his glory.
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I like your advice to read the Bible searching for characteristics of God. I think getting to know him better helps us to trust in situations where we can’t understand what he is doing.
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Oh, that’s so wise, Lesley. Yes, the more we see, the more we can trust his heart.
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Michele, I’ve prayed Jer 29:12-14 over my sons for years. I loved your question, “Is it possible that God isn’t who you thought God was?” When we don’t understand something God has allowed in our lives, the best thing we can do is go to His word and seek to know Him more. This will lead to trust, which offers rest to our hearts. Such wise words here, friend!
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We may not understand his ways always, but we can learn to trust his heart. Yes, Jeanne, that’s what carries us through the rough spots in parenting.
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This is timeless wisdom for whatever circumstance we find ourselves in, “Turn toward God–not away from God”
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Oh, this needs to be a billboard or sky writing for our disappointed world!
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I tend to keep things in the same place too Michele! Those heart stopping moments of trying to seek something out never fill me with much confidence. Thank you for joining us for #mischiefandmemories
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Yup, it’s a good discipline for our minds.
And even so, I still do my share of searching out lost things… I can’t imagine how crazy my life would be if I didn’t try to be intentional about this.
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You are so right, things are not always lost but we might just be looking in the wrong place. Ask others for help, sometimes their view is clearer. Thanks for linking up with #MischiefAndMemories
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Great input! Community is so important.
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As always you make some great points. Thanks for being with us Michelle #MischiefandMemories
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Blessings!
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A beautiful verse and post about a faithful God. We will feature this post in the next Blogger’s Pit Stop.
Kathleen
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Thank YOU so much, Kathleen!
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LOVE this, Michele! You know I think that many of us have ideas about God that need to be corrected. I love the practical advice you offer in this post–and the challenge.
Thanks so much for joining the Grace at Home party at Imparting Grace. Honestly, I could feature you every time you join the party, but I try to restrain myself. Still, I’m featuring you this week!
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You are a huge encouragement!
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[…] How Do I Search for God with All My Heart? by Michele […]
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Wonderful post, Michele. I am quite the same as you, super diligent about keeping track of my belongings. Teaching that skill to my children requires much patience!
Shelbee
http://www.shelbeeontheedge.com
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