Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"
When studying about the character of God, there are two aspects we need to consider: (a) is He Someone we must seek and find? Or (b) is He Someone seeking and finding us?
How we think of Him is important to our present earthly happiness, and to our eternal destiny, because if (a) is the truth, we don't know where to go to seek and find Him, which means, ultimately, we are lost.
All pagan religions are built on the premise of (a); and to many Christian people, especially children and youth, the idea is ingrained in us that God is like a doctor in his office--we can't conceive of one with his bag of medicines going door to door, knocking, "Anybody sick here, can I help?" He stays in his office! You've got to go and find him.
The Bible revelation of the character of God is (b): Jesus says, "The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10). His parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son (Luke 15:3-32) are clear; even the story of the prodigal son emphasizes the seeking love of the father--the lost son would never have said, "I will arise and go to my father," unless the seeking love of the father had drawn him (cf. John 12:32, 33).
Our children and youth must not be given the idea that God is like a doctor deep in his inner sanctum private office, hard to find! The seeking love of the Father and the self-emptying love of Christ must be made plain early and through their teen years. An outward profession based on fear is empty; it's the heart that must be won by the truth of His love.
But doesn't the Bible say, "Seek the Lord while He may be found"? Yes, but it adds immediately, "Call upon Him while He is near" (Isa. 55:6). The Hebrew word "seek" is dharash (Strong, 1875, "inquire of, make inquisition"). There are two words for "seek": baqash (Strong, 1245) which is Saul seeking his father's lost donkeys (1 Sam. 9:3). King Saul asks his servants to "seek" (baqash) him a pagan witch, "that [he] may go to her and inquire of her" (dharash) (1 Sam. 28:7). So, Isaiah 55:6 really says, "Inquire of the Lord while He is near." The Bible idea is the nearness of the Savior, not His farness!
The Lord has taken the initiative in loving and seeking you! Now, respond.
--Robert J. Wieland
From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: April 7, 2007.
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