Seek Me

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. ” Jeremiah 29:11-13 (NIV)

The Scriptures come alive when we let them to speak directly to our hearts and actually allow God’s word to be applied to our real-life situations. One scripture that has touched me throughout this past year is Jeremiah 29:13. 

When the prophet Jeremiah spoke these words from God over the people of Israel, they had just been taken into captivity by the Babylonians. They were in a time of crisis, their powerful nation overthrown. In this moment, God knew they would be calling out to Him. He tells them He will listen, but they will not find Him until after they seek Him with all of their hearts. 

Have you ever really noticed this verse in Jeremiah? It’s often overlooked because verses 11 and 12 are some of the most remembered, quoted, and talked about passages in the entire Bible.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.” (Jeremiah 29:11-12 NIV).

These words give us hope, a promise for the future even when tomorrow seems dark and unknowable. Many of us face difficult situations today and we can take comfort in Jeremiah 29:11 knowing it is a promise that God has a plan for our lives, and regardless of our current situation, He can work through it to prosper us and give us hope and a better future.

Yet there is more to this passage. God does not simply promise to make things better for us. If you read further to Verse 13, He says “you will seek me and find me when you seek me with all of your heart.” What exactly is the Lord saying here through the prophet Jeremiah?

I believe these words are actually an invitation. An invitation to all of us that God wants to access every single part of who we are! The word heart encompasses our mind, our will, our motives, our dreams and even our emotions – all that makes each one of us … us. Often though, we say to God “you can have this part of me or that part of me but not my whole heart.” Perhaps we hold back our choices. Or our free will.

Whatever part of our lives we hold back from God, the invitation to seek Him means God wants to meet us in every area of our lives, at the core of who we are (Deuteronomy 6:4-7, Matthew 22:37-38, Mark 12:30, Luke 10:27).

So Seek Him today with all of your heart, and every part of who you are, and get ready to meet the all-powerful living God.

May God continuously lead your path.