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This resolution Word with the elementary foundation “WHO SEEKS, SHALL FIND’, may it point the way, encourage and be accompanying us in this coming New Year. Being awakened to our surrounding and aware to ourselves, acting and reacting with loving hearts and minds. Here the prophet Jeremiah consoles the people, who were carried away from Jerusalem to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar into the seventy-year captivity. God promises His people that He, at the end of the seventy years, will bring them back into their homeland and liberty. As well, He does not want to leave His people in this time. On the contrary, He gives them this wonderful promise, that He has thoughts of peace and not of sorrow towards them and that they can find Him if they seek Him with all their hearts. Although the carrying off into captivity already happened, according to God’s will, He has not forgotten His people. As a requirement to find God, He calls it the searching after Him with a whole heart! How can this be without belief, that God is the Almighty Creator of heaven and earth, makes it impossible. Although important scientists studying Molecular biology and genetics, are bringing to attention that in Darwin’s evolution theory the proofs of a higher-developed life is missing, science is mainly still keeping rigidly onto this version. It is quite clear, that children and adults alike, who will be taught and finally influenced by these theories and ideologies, are not seeking God. They don’t need Him, such a one does not exist because “everything” supposedly “evolved out of nothing”. But, when we consider the order and exactness of the natural creation, it is difficult to explain, how completely automatic, that is of itself, out of the chaos of the origin, this Cosmos should have been formed. For me at least, this is deeply unworthy of belief – unauthentic!
The alternative, to seek God wholeheartedly, if we truly want to find Him. This conception “with all the heart”, Jesus uses this also in His answer to the question about the greatest commandment “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy mind”. (Matt. 22:37) The heart truly is the most important organ. With it our earthly presence stands or falls. More than the whole heart we cannot pledge or give, and, this can only happen out of love. The greatest commandment is the summons of our love to this wonderful Creator of all things. He made us as a crown of creation and to be living souls, and not we ourselves!
Between SEEKING AND FINDING exists the connection of CAUSE AND EFFECT. Nothing happens without a reason. In the Sermon on the Mount, Christ speaks in, connection with the hearing of prayer, about the same basic fundamental rules: (Matt. 7:7-8) Therewith instruction and task is made clear. The recipe lays before us. Now, we only have to make use of it and do it!
Where, how and when can we seek God? Too many questions at once. Therefore some examples to the WHERE.
Hear God’s Word – listen – obey! “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was nothing made that was made.” (John 1 :1-3) The bible gives information about the Spiritual Creation, audible in the Divine Service, in the congregation, in the neighbour, in ourselves. Visually: The Natural Creation – seeing – looking – observing – wonder in amazement! But attention: One is supposed to see well with the heart only.
In the commandments and law of God: “I am the Lord thy God, … Thou shalt have no other gods before me … Thou shalt not bow down to them, nor serve them!” But in the Son and in the Holy Ghost I do find Him! “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father! (John 14-9) … even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God”. (1 Corinthians 2: 11) The petition for the Spirit is the foremost prayer of the congregation and the individual.
HOW I seek God! Call God with the mouth: Speak with Him in PRAYER! “God is a Spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). Through praying arises prayer-exaltation! With the cry of emergency ‘And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.’ (Psalm 50:15) WHEN can we finally seek God? ALWAYS, because He is with us, every day, till the end of the world in His Son: “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever.” (Hebrews 13:8)
In the continuous SEEKING AND FINDING wecan notice again and again the distinct contours and structures of the existence of God, though He will never let us see Him in a picture or catch Him in a form. “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him”. (1 Corinthians 2:9)
Let us go and discover our God every day of this year, with love and wholeheartedly. Then it will certainly be an interesting, joyful, and through many facets of God’s glorious majesty, enriched year – because GOD IS PRESENT!