We should be Seeking God while being Sought by God

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We are called to seek God, to pursue and desire him. God showed me, though, that he also pursues us. A lesson from 2 Thessalonians 3.
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I usually write these on Mondays and edit on Tuesdays.  Not this week.

Yesterday late afternoon and evening I started not to feel well, and by this morning was running a fever and sick.

Yuck.

Since I’m still not feeling 100%, I’m going to get right to the point – or try to, anyway.

The other day I read 2 Thessalonians 3 and, while reading it, God reminded me that we are to seek him while he pursues us.  That is, we are both the seeker and the sought.

3 Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you, and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith. But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one. And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things that we command. May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.

– 2 Thessalonians 3:1-5 (ESV)

We Seek God

Christians often talk about coming to Jesus, turning to Jesus, and such.  We often encourage people to pursue God.

The idea of seeking God is biblical.  Scripture tells us that if we seek God, then we will find him (Deut 4:29; Prov 8:17; Matt 7:7-8; Acts 17:27).

In this passage, Paul tells the believers to pray and to remain faithful to God’s gospel ministry.  That is, they are to seek God.  However, God showed me that while we must seek him, we are also sought by him.

God Seeks Us

Four times we see that God is the primary actor:

  • God delivers (v. 2)
  • God establishes (v. 3)
  • God guards (v. 3)
  • God directs (v. 5)

God is taking initiative, taking action to impact our lives for his own glory.  In other words, God is pursuing us.

As I read this, I was reminded of the prodigal son story (Luke 15:11-32).  Toward the end, the son returns to his father’s home (i.e., the son seeks).  However, the father drops everything, runs out to his returning son, and brings him back into the family (i.e., the son is sought).

While describing how believers relate to God (both as the seeker and as the sought), he also indicates that there is another option.

Christians should pursue God while God pursues us.  However, there are some who reject God.  They look at him and declare, “Leave me alone God. Don’t need you; don’t want you.”  These are non-believers (“wicked and evil men. For not all have faith,” v. 2).

We should flee such faithlessness.

Bringing it Home

As we go about our daily life, we can choose to pursue God and be pursued by him, or we can choose to reject God.  The choice is yours.

I pray, though, that you choose Jesus.  I pray you choose to seek God.  I pray you choose to welcome God as he pursues you.

I pray you let God bring you into a growing relationship. I pray you’ll let God deliver you, establish you, guard you, and direct you.

How will you seek God as he pursues you this week?  Comment below.

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