Seeking God- God’s search for man.

What is apparent from:

1. The man is dependent upon God to give him a desire to seek God showing that:

Fallen man is by nature without any desire for God and has no ability to come to God without divine aid –

Any desire for God necessarily originates in God and constitutes a divine assurance of its fulfillment if there is an adequate response by man

2. That there is a relationship between the extent of God’s response and the degree of man’s awareness of his need –

Isaiah 44:3  

For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.

3. That God’s attitude toward man is determined by man’s attitude toward God –

2 Chronicles 15:2  

He went out to meet Asa and said to him, “Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin. The LORD is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.

4. That there is no satisfactory substitute for God –

Ecclesiastes 2:1-11  

1 I thought in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good.” But that also proved to be meaningless.

2 “Laughter,” I said, “is foolish. And what does pleasure accomplish?”

3 I tried cheering myself with wine, and embracing folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom. I wanted to see what was worthwhile for men to do under heaven during the few days of their lives.

4 I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards.

5 I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them.

6 I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees.

7 I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me.

8 I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired men and women singers and a harem as well—the delights of the heart of man.

9 I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me. In all this my wisdom stayed with me.

10 I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor.

11 Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve,

5. That failure to seek God is equivalent to forsaking God –

Ezra 8:22  

I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road, because we had told the king, “The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him.”

6. That the consequences of forsaking God are both evil and bitter –

Jeremiah 2:19  

Your wickedness will punish you; your backsliding will rebuke you. Consider then and realize how evil and bitter it is for you when you forsake the LORD your God and have no awe of me,” declares the Lord, the LORD Almighty.

7. That God will not be sought in vain, for when he exhorts man to seek him he intends to let himself be found –

Isaiah 45:19  

I have not spoken in secret, from somewhere in a land of darkness; I have not said to Jacob's descendants, seek me in vain.’ I, the LORD, speak the truth; I declare what is right.