“And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve Him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind. For the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you…” (1 Chronicles 28:9, NIV)
A Father’s Decree to His Son:
- acknowledge our God
- serve Him with your whole heart
- serve Him with a willing mind
- seek Him
As I was reading this verse I was deeply moved. I will never be a parent so I can’t relate to the passion a father experiences as he instructs his son. But I could completely relate to the position of being a child who is fathered by the perfect Father. And when I keep that position in mind, and remember that it is totally undeserved, my response should be nothing less than “acknowledgement, service, seeking.”
I think this verse sums up the call of a follower of Christ. Discipleship 101. And I believe that it is rooted in the last point…”seeking.” If I would honestly seek God, the other steps would follow.
So what does it mean to “seek Him”? Twenty years ago I would have answered, “Obeying His commands, following His rules, doing the ‘right’ things.” While all that sounded righteous it never brought me closer to knowing who God is. I was concerned about results and not about a relationship. How do we build a friendship with a human being? Spending time together, communicating deeply, sharing our hearts and hurts, laughing, crying, looking into each other’s souls, breaking down walls and revealing our true selves. Seeking God is no different. And it is only when we seek God that we serve Him willingly and for the right reason…motivated by our love for Him instead of fulfilling a checklist.
“God, I know our arch enemy wants to distract me with the checklist. He’ll do anything to keep my focus off of You, even if it means using ‘good’ things. But I also know that when I’m truly seeking You, I experience a fulfillment that is beyond human description. And the result is love-centered motivation. As I face every challenge, pitfall, joy, success, or decision today, remind me to seek YOU in every situation. In Your precious Son’s name, Amen.”
simply spoken
From the archives. Originally published May 20, 2009.
Sixty-six books in a year 