Check out 2 Chronicles chapters 15-16. It's a fascinating passage and I'd like to leave you with a few thoughts about it. I'll assume you've already read it now, so I'll just make my comments on specific verses:15:2 If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.
There's a promise and a curse here. If you do the right thing, you get the promise. If not- well, you get the idea. But the main issue is God's concern that his people seek him. Mind you, he WANTS to be found so he's not into hiding.
He actively seeks us, but that's not enough for him. He wants us to do the same. That doesn't just "happen" because we go to church once a week. It takes effort and time. He promises that we will find him, but we've got to do the seeking. The last thing we want is for God to forsake us, but it WILL happen if we do NOT seek him.
4 But in their distress they turned to Yahweh, the God of Israel, and sought him, and he was found by them.
It always seems to take some distress for us to really seek God now, doesn't it? I wonder what serious blessing we'd receive if we sought God BEFORE we got into trouble? Yet still, either way, he IS found WHENEVER we choose to seek him (whew!).
7 But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.
Nice promise! I hang onto this one all the time, because just when I want to give up, I need a reminder to hang in there just a little bit longer.
12 They entered into a covenant to seek Yahweh, the God of their fathers, with all their heart and soul.
A covenant; a contract, if you will. Wouldn't it be great if we were so serious! To actually sign a contract with God that we would seek him with all our heart and soul. Wow! Powerful!
13 All who would not seek Yahweh, the God of Israel, were to be put to death, whether small or great, man or woman.
Ouch! This would be a little hard to follow through with today! :) But they were serious and my bet is there weren't too many people that had to die that day. Seeking God was the most important thing they had to do.
14 They took an oath to Yahweh with loud acclamation, with shouting and with trumpets and horns. 15 All Judah rejoiced about the oath because they had sworn it wholeheartedly. They sought God eagerly, and he was found by them. So Yahweh gave them rest on every side.
Not only did they take the oath, they did it wholeheartedly and with LOUD shouts and the whole band! They sought God with everything they had and, of course, they found him- because that's the promise. And God is good for his word. Always.
16:9 For the eyes of Yahweh range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.
Here's the kicker: If we will fully commit ourselves to God, he will strengthen us to be successful. And we see God seeking again- seeking all over the earth to find those who sincerely want to find him and know him with all their hearts.
Often in today's world, there are way too many things keeping us from giving God everything. Anything in your way of seeking God with ALL your heart?
Can You Hear Me?
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