The journal. (Caldwell, Ohio) 1934-1961, 1955-06-02
5 erm Oneite o
The Seeking God


Bible is a record of mans expert
ence in seeking God In reality
it is a record of God seeking
man, urging man to be recon
clled to Him. 1t IS also a revela-
ton of Gods will for man.
The natural man does not
seek God - "all we like sheep
have gone astray; we have
turned every one to his own
way isaiah $500. God looked
down from heaven upon the
children Of men, to see if there
were any that did understand,
that did seek God. Every one of
them is gone back: there is none
that doeth good, no, not one"
psalm 53:2, 81. From Genesis to
the Revelation we see that man
is inclined to ungodly ways. For
brief glance read Genesis,
chapters three, four and six;
Romans 1852; Ephesians 2.
Jeremiah was led to say that the
heart is deceitful above all
things, and desperately wicked:
WHO can Know IL
God seeks man - man in his
sin and need. In Genesis three
we see God seeking Adam. God
had given specific instructions to
Adam and Eve, but we see that
they disobeyed, they sinned, and
when God drew near we read
that they "hid themselves from
the presence Of the Lord God"
(verse 81. The Psalmist lin
Psalm 1899 expressed a truth
that every man must learn -
whittier shall / flee from Thy
presence If / ascend up into
heaven, thou art there: If !
make my bed in hell (anong the
dead), behold thou art there. IT
I take the wings Of the morn
ing, and dwell in the uttermost
parts Of the sea; even there shall
Thy hand lead me, and Thy right
hand hold me-" We cannot run
away from God. Sooner or later
we must face Him. 'If we con-
fess our sins Surrender to His
mercy in Jesus Christi, He is
faithful and just to forgive us
our sins, and to cleanse us from
all unrighteousness" Il John
1:9). If we fail to yield to him,
we cannot escape His wrath GI
Thessalonians 1870. Jesus said
that "the Son Of man (Jesus) is
come to seek and to save that
which was lost" duke 1910.
Cain was another one whom
God sought, He was a religious
man. He believed that there was
a God; he even brought an offer
ing in an act of worship. But he
has not acceptable to God. He
was trying to approach God ac-
cording to his own way, not
Gods way. The truth that God
would have us learn is that one
cannot worship and fellowship
with Him unless he comes with
a sacrifice that has been slain
and its blood shed as He has
prescribed. We cannot approach
God by depending upon our own
good works (Ephesians 30, 81. |
Even before the sacrifice would
be accepted, the heart has to be
right psalm 5ll6, lD. Church
membership, being baptized Tim
mersed), taking communion,
teaching or serving in one
capacity or another is not
enough. One must know Jesus
Christ as Lord and Saviour.
In Genesis 81 we read Of God
seeking Hagar. She had been
rejected and was without a place |
to stay and had no friends. Her
boy was about to die for lack |
of water. Her heart was break |
ing. Then God came. He met the |
need of Hagar and her son and |
that boy later became the father |
of a great nation. God seeks and
satisfies the thirsty one who |
obeys Him. Jesus said (John |
G:35), II am the bread of life: |
he that cometh to Me shall never |
hunger; and he that believeth !
(trusts completely on Me shall |
never thirst"
Jacob was troubled in heart |
and mind Genesis 32). He was
about to face his brother, Esau,
whom he had cheated. But God |
came to him. There was a great |
struggle. Jacob was humbled, but |
the result was that he obtained |
a great blessing from God and |
his life was richer; he had been |
drawn closer to God. Jesus said,
"Come unto Me, all We that |
labour and are heavy laden, and |
| will give you rest. Take My |
yoke upon you, and learn of |
Me; for l am meek and lowly |
in heart: and We shall find rest |
unto your souls. For My yoke |
is easy, and my burden is light" |
(Matthew 11:28-30).
D. Il NITh1rnr,. L..