Seek The Lord

[dave c]

simpletruth #138al Revisited 25AUG10 salicart@msn.com

HOSEA 10:12—Part Thirty Eight: Seek The Lord

by rev. dave c

Hosea 10:12, Sow for yourselves righteousness; Reap in mercy; Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the LORD, Till He comes and rains righteousness on you (NKJV).

The word seek is translated in the Old Testament from the Hebrew darash (Strong's #1875), a primitive root; properly, to tread or frequent; usually to follow (for pursuit or search); by implication, to seek or ask; specifically to worship; and in the New Testament from the Greek word, zeteo (Strong's #2212) which means to seek (literally or figuratively); specially, (by Hebraism) to worship (God), or (in a bad sense) to plot (against life)]. The Micro$oft Encarta World English Dictionary 2001 defines seek as: verb 1. intransitive and transitive verb search for something: to try to find a particular thing or place 2. transitive verb strive for something: to try to achieve or obtain something • candidates seeking election 3. transitive verb ask for something: to consult somebody in order to obtain something such as help or advice • His advice was regularly sought on such matters. 4. transitive verb head for something: to go to or toward a place or thing • As the water rose, they sought higher ground. 5. transitive verb attempt something: to try to do something • seeking to exploit the rift between them [Old English sécan. Ultimately from an Indo-European base meaning “to seek out” that is also the ancestor of English SAGACITY.]

As defined above, to seek God is to worship Him by searching for Him, by striving for Him, by asking (talking to) Him, by heading toward Him, and by attempting to reach Him. Seeking God, then, requires far more than a casual interest in the matters of God, or practicing religion, or just being committed to a church. To seek God is to be devoted to finding out who He is, what pleases Him, and how we can draw closer to Him. In a word, we are to work at establishing a relationship with Him. For the Hebrews, this was the “Great Shema,” Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength (De 6:4&5, NKJV). In context of these verses the word translated as “love” can mean “to make one’s choice in”. This is in the same sense as when a man and a woman express their love by choosing one another—to the exclusion of all others. We must set our hearts and minds upon Jesus.

In the New Testament, Christ quoted the Shema as the “Great Commandment,” "The most important [commandment]," answered Jesus, "is this: `Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” The Lord then continued, “The second is this: `Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these” (Mk 12:29-31, NIV). For the Christian, then, to seek God is to choose Him above all others—to make the conscious and rational decision to devote our whole being to loving Him. Just as in marriage, love requires more than feelings and emotions, and it is more than just fulfilling obligations. Love is making the decision to be committed to the surrender of our lives to one another. That is real submission.

Throughout the Bible we are urged to seek God’s presence, His word, and His blessing. Psalm 119 provides a useful summary of the benefits for those who seek Him...and the results for those who don’t. 1) The people of God need to seek Him with all their heart (119:2, Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart. 119:10, I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.). 2) The wicked are lost because they do not seek Him (119:155, Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek out your decrees). 3) God seeks out His ‘lost sheep’ (Ps 119:176, I have strayed like a lost sheep. Seek your servant, for I have not forgotten your commands).

If “asking” is our spiritual praying to God, praising Him, and purposing our existence within His Person; “seeking” is the initiation, engagement, and commitment of our rational being to pursuing, planning, and preparing within the will of God for our lives. The New Testament bears repeated witness to the essential nature of actively seeking God/Godliness: ...Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him (He 11:6; NIV). To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger (Ro 2:7&8; NIV).

"...May the LORD, who is good, pardon everyone who sets his heart on seeking God--the LORD, the God of his fathers--even if he is not clean according to the rules of the sanctuary" (2Ch 30:18&19, NIV—what an incredible verse this is!). If you can find but one person who deals honestly and seeks the truth, I will forgive this city (Je 5:1, NIV). The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him (La 3:25, NIV). The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing (Ps 34:10, NIV). The poor will eat and be satisfied; they who seek the LORD will praise him--may your hearts live forever! (Ps 22:26, NIV). ...Seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper" (Je 29:7, NIV). The LORD is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you (2Ch 15:1,NIV). Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near (Is 55:6, NIV). Amen.