“The Lord looks down from Heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God.” — Psalm 14:2 (ESV)
God Longs to be Encountered
We serve a God who longs to be encountered. Our God is not distant. He is not a recluse. Every morning there is an open invitation set before us to encounter the peaceful, tangible presence of the living God. In fact, it’s because of God’s desire to be encountered that Scripture so often commands us to seek Him. He is not a God who hides, but He is also not a God who forces Himself on us. He quietly beckons us to a life marked by His nearness, asking us to seek Him that our heart might be open and receptive to Him.
First Chronicles 16:11 (ESV) commands us, “Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His presence continually!” And Revelation 3:20 (ESV) says, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with Me.” May we be a people who center our lives around God’s longing to be encountered. May we seek Him with all we are.
I’ve lived so much of my life as if I’m on my own. I was without a true revelation of just how close God is to me. I was without a true knowledge that the God I serve longs to be known by me. You see, the foundation for my spending time with God was that I should, not that He actually desired relationship with me. As soon as I got a glimpse into the heart of my Heavenly Father to simply love me and enjoy me, I was hooked.
No matter who you are or what you’ve done, you serve a God who longs to meet with you. He is knocking on the door of your heart today, asking you to simply let Him come in. He is quietly beckoning you with His love, simply speaking to you, “Don’t shut me out.” God has an incredible life filled with an ever-increasing awareness of His love for you. He longs for your heart to be wrapped up in His presence when the world rejects you, speaks lies to you, or tries to pull you away from the comfort of His love and peace.
Hebrews 11:6 (ESV) says, “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him.” Seek the presence of your Heavenly Father today in faith that He longs to be encountered. Trust Him at His word that He will reward your seeking with the wonders of His nearness. Seek a deeper, more intimate relationship with Him in light of the truth that He is always fully available to you. May your life be ever filled with communion with your loving Heavenly Father.
— Craig Denison, First 15
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