For many, seeking God is not easy. This is not because God’s hiding, but because our thinking is biased towards worldly misinformation about Him, which Satan fortifies through godless culture. Added to this struggle, is the instinctive self-deceiving nature of our hearts which lead us as far from God as possible. Thinking we can successfully live independent of God, we give preference to sinful pleasures with self at the centre of importance (Jeremiah 17:9; James 1:14–15).
Psalm 10:3-4 voices just how far some are willing to go in avoiding God. For the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul, and the one greedy for gain curses and renounces the LORD. In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him; all his thoughts are, “There is no God.” Consoling themselves in the idea that they have cancelled God, they claim He no longer exists, they have no hope apart from God’s amazing grace to rescue them. We can therefore understand why the apostle Paul wrote, none is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God (Romans 3:10-11).
Moses explained that God’s mercy is so great, that even people who abandon themselves to the worst of idolatry can still find the Lord. But from there (idolatry) you will seek the LORD your God and you will find Him, if you search after Him with all your heart and with all your soul (Deuteronomy 4:29). It’s here that we begin to see God’s limitless, undeserved, and breathtaking grace in action. He refuses to be ignored or wished out of existence. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse (Romans 1:19-20). God testifies about Himself, there is no other god besides me, a righteous God and a Saviour… Turn to me and be saved… (Isaiah 45:21-22).
But trusting in mankind’s deceived and sinful heart to do the right thing towards God is an exercise in futility. So, again, in Gods’ grace He supplies the resources needed to enable people to genuinely seek Him. But most of all, God sent His Son Jesus to earth to make Himself known and to save sinners (Luke 19:10; Galatians 4:4-5). But that still was not enough; He did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all… He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross of judgement (Romans 8:32; 1 Peter 2:24). Then God gave even greater testimony through Jesus rising to life again, with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus… (Acts 4:33). But that still was not enough for God, who is a Saviour by nature. God now sends believers in Jesus, you and I, to proclaim the gospel of Jesus to the world (Matthew 28:19-20; Romans 10:13-17; 2 Corinthians 5:20).
Like Paul, no believer should ever be ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes (Romans 1:16). The invitation to seek God remains open today, as it was for king Asa, if you seek the Lord, he will be found by you (2 Chronicles 15:2). May we continually seek the Lord, and may we be active in calling others to seek Him also. God’s promise is as clear as His invitation, “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13).
