Day #242 - Wholeheartedness

The Presence - A Devotional for living in Thanksgiving, Worship and Wonder

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

Jeremiah 29:13 NIV

Photo by Marek Piwnicki on Unsplash

If you have children, what do you look for in encouraging them in a good direction for their life?

In one word, I think we look for “wholeheartedness.” Grace and I are blessed with four amazing children. Sometimes they have started in a sport or a hobby or certain studies and they show little to no interest in that thing. But occasionally my children get involved in something to which they give their whole heart. Where it’s frustrating to try and motivate an unmotivated child, its an incredibly rewarding feeling to watch them pursue something with all they’ve got.

God is also looking for wholeheartedness. Leanord Ravenhill once said, “the only reason we don’t have revival is because we can live without it.” I think this is true of God’s manifest presence in our lives. The only reason we don’t have “the Presence” is because we can live without it.

In Jeremiah 29, God is telling His people that after they are exiled for 70 years, He has not cast them off to destroy them forever. He gives them a promise in the midst of His judgement against them. The famous verse that people love to quote, Jeremiah 29:11 says, “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 (NIV).” This seems to be a feel good verse for us as individuals but its actually a covenant promise to be remembered by God’s people during chastisement.

Then God promises to His people that since He promised them good when they pray (v. 12), He will allow Himself to be found when they seek Him with all of their heart. This promise has a condition. God tells us how He treats His people but He is looking for a prayerful people who are wholehearted in going after Him.

I’ve seen so many Christians that pray for the Holy Spirit baptism for a few minutes and if they don’t speak in tongues right away they resign it to not being God’s will for their life. I see Christians that are facing great odds or crisis and they devote little time to prayer and seeking God. I hear believers describe the great things they want to see God do in their lives but there is so little motivation to attend a prayer meeting.

Where is the wholeheartedness? Where is the seeking God until you find Him?

Seeking God is not about self-effort and self-motivation, its about a revelation of invitation from our Almighty Creator. He wants to see us respond in the maturity of our desire for Him. Don’t go half-heartedly after “the Presence.” Give yourself fully to the pursuit of God and you will find Him.

Lord God, I seek You with my whole heart. I give up lukewarm living and half-hearted pursuit of Your presence. Reveal the power of Your invitation and promise in my life. I’m coming after You with all that I am. I love You above all others. In Jesus name, amen.