DEVOTION – DAY 228

Jeremiah 29:13 “Seeking God With All Our Hearts”

 

Jeremiah 29:13 “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

 

The prophet Jeremiah wrote a letter to the Jewish exiles to encourage them that God had not forgotten them even though God had judged them and allowed them to be taken into exile by the Babylonians. Jeremiah prophesied in the letter that their Babylonian exile would last 70 years and that God would come to them to bring them back to Israel. The Lord assured them in v13 that if the people sought Him out with all their hearts, they would find Him.

 

The Lord gives us the same promise today. People may be unfaithful and they may turn away from God. But if they are genuinely sorry for their sins and want to turn back to God, they will find that the Lord is there ready to accept them and to welcome them back. Jesus confirms this same message about God in His parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-32. In that parable, the wayward son had squandered everything his father gave him and one day, he decided to return back to his father, and his father welcomed him back with warmth. If we are willing to seek the Lord with all our hearts, we will find Him.

 

A man worshipped idols. One day, he fell ill and he tried western medicine but he remained unwell. So, he tried traditional medicine but it did not offer him relief. He prayed for healing from his idols but his illness remained. He was desperate. He tried meditation thinking that it would take his mind off his suffering but his discomfort persisted. This went on for some weeks and his ill health also affected his sleep and rest. One day, he met a friend who asked him how he was. He told his friend about his prolonged illness. His friend offered to pray for him and since his friend was a Christian, he prayed to Jesus to help heal him. Later, at home, this man again felt unwell. He called out to Jesus and told Jesus he would believe in Him and worship Him if he was healed. To his amazement, he felt a warmth come over him and he fell into a deep sleep. When he awoke, he felt better and he knew that Jesus was real. From that day, he decided to follow and worship Jesus. He never went back to his idols.

 

Let us pray: Heavenly Father, You are faithful and Your promises are true. Thank you for accepting us when we seek you with all our hearts. May many seek you with all their hearts. In the mighty name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.

 

Questions:

  1. What are some reasons or obstacles that prevent people from accepting the Lord’s promise in Jeremiah 29:13?
  2. What comfort can you find in the Lord’s promise from Jeremiah 29:13?
  3. Who do you know need to receive this promise of the Lord’s? How can you help them to receive this promise?