Seek (transitive verb): to go in search of; to try to discover; to ask for; to try to acquire or achieve
“1, 2, 3…Ready or not, here I come!”
Have you ever said or heard these words exclaimed during a game of Hide-and-Seek? I have many fond memories of playing this game with my boys over the years. When they were toddlers, the hiding and seeking came easily. When it was my turn to seek, I knew the first place to look was wherever I just hid last. And if my son wasn’t there, it didn’t take too much effort to find him! Even though at this age he was so small and could have fit into many great hiding places, his toddler mind thought he was hiding perfectly when he was basically right out in the open. This is one of my favorite pictures of my son hiding – can you spot him?
But as the boys got older, the game became more complex.
Their brains started to understand what a good “hiding place” looked like. They knew better than to hide in the same spot twice, or to hide where I just hid last. Even though their bodies were bigger, their brains were craftier. The ultimate challenge has been in the teenage years when they want to play games like Hide-and-Seek outside in the dark (but the games now have non-babyish names like “ghost in the graveyard”). They have their techniques down to a science – they know exactly what to wear (all black with nothing that will reflect light!), where to hide, and how to stay Ninja-like quiet. On one occasion, I gave up trying to find one of them. I forfeited. It was a losing battle of skill and determination, and I gave up seeking.
Whenever I hear the word “seek”, I’m reminded of several scriptures. The word “Seek” (and variations like seeks, seeking) occurs nearly 150 times in the Bible (NIV)! Some of the most commonly known verses:
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33
Unfortunately, too many of us think of “seeking the LORD” like an intricate game of Hide-and-Seek.
We tend to see God as that Ninja-like teenager, the Most Excellent Hider, using everything at his disposal to keep from being found. When we think of seeking God in that manner, it’s easy to make excuses not to even try. We say things like, “It’s too much effort”, “I won’t be successful”, “What if I never find Him?”, and “I don’t know where to even begin looking.”
We get too caught up in the “how” to seek: certainly, the seeking will require attending worship services, reading the Bible, and praying, right? And so, the excuses continue… the time commitment for church, the lack of understanding the Bible, the awkwardness we feel about praying.
Here’s the secret: Seeking God is most like playing Hide-and-Seek with the toddler.
God’s exactly where you’d expect him to be. Right in plain sight.
Seeking the Lord is a one-step process: Make the decision to SEEK. Once you’ve committed to the SEEK, you will find Him. God promises this to us!
I have not spoken in secret, from somewhere in a land of darkness; I have not said to Jacob’s descendants, ‘Seek me in vain.’ I, the Lord, speak the truth; I declare what is right. Isaiah 45:19
I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me. Proverbs 8:17
Don’t get caught up in the “how”, just commit to the act. In doing so, He will be revealed to you just as clearly as my son is in the picture above!
For a great praise song about seeking God, listen to Lauren Daigle’s “First”
Or use the lyrics of her song as your prayer today:
God My Father,
Before I bring my need
I will bring my heart
Before I lift my cares
I will lift my arms
I wanna know You
I wanna find You
In every season
In every moment
I wanna seek You
First.
1,2,3… Ready or not, here I come! Amen