Hi sisters,
I used to joke about how “boring” I thought the book of Chronicles was. I’m not sure why. Maybe it’s the 10 chapters of genealogies, or the fact it repeats earlier stories in the Bible. But this past time through it, I was soaking up every word! Many of the stories were exactly what I needed to hear on the exact day I needed to hear it. The words came to life.
One quiet time, the same words repeated and jumped off the pages:
“If you seek him, he will he found by you. . . [Israel] sought him, he was found by them. . . And they entered into covenant to seek the LORD, the God of their fathers, with all their heart and with all their soul. . . they had sworn with all their heart and had sought him with their whole desire, and he was found by them” (from II Chronicles 15).
The context of these verses is king Asa’s reign in Judah. He did was what good and right in the eyes of God. When a prophet challenged Asa to “seek the Lord” he obeyed. He got rid of the idols in the land, he repaired the alter of the Lord, and he led the people into covenant with God. He didn’t even allow his own mother to lead him astray! He was resolved and determined to give his full allegiance to Yahweh, the God of Israel and help others do the same.
A few things strike me about all the verses I wrote in my journal (listed above). One, yes God pursues us, but God also desires to be pursued. Inside of us is a desire to be chosen. That’s why we are touched so deeply by verses and song lyrics that communicate how God has chosen us, and while we were sinners, Christ died for us. At the same time, God tells us He also wants to be chosen by us! God has already shown His pursuit, and He’s asking, “Will you pursue me back? Will you choose Me too?” That was the word of prophesy spoken to Asa. God is waiting to be found, so CHOOSE Him! Seek Him!
Two, I noticed the emphasis on “all” and “whole.” Therefore, when we choose God and seek Him, it has to be with all our heart and our whole desire. What hit me most was that last phrase: whole desire. I just can’t get that out of my mind. What is my deepest desire? Is it my covenant with God? To be the best spouse to God I could ever be?
What do you expect of a spouse? There is not a spouse in the world who is not keenly aware if their mate has split affections. It’s like a sixth sense. Whether it’s career, hobby, kids, addiction, etc., a spouse knows when their spouse’s heart is not fully theirs.
Therefore, if we as human beings can discern these matters, we won’t be able to fool God. He knows if our affections are split between Him and something else. He knows if we are half-heartedly choosing Him. He knows if our desire is to have our cake and eat it too. If our whole desire is to seek God and choose our covenant with Him over anything else, we will be quick (like Asa), to clean house. “Want this idol gone? Done. Want me to live sacrificially? Done. Whatever you ask of me God, this I will do. That’s how much I want to honor my covenant with You.”
In II Chronicles 16, there’s this famous verse: “For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.”
God is searching and He’s looking for a woman whose heart is COMPLETELY His. Notice He’s not looking for the one with the most resources, talents, good looks, or the most engaging or organized. He is looking for a WHOLE heart whose WHOLE desire is for Him. That’s the woman He will strongly support to participate in advancing His Kingdom.
This is not legalism. It’s covenantal living, just like a marriage. We already know God is faithful to pursue us with steadfast love. The question is: will we be found faithful to pursue Him with our whole desire in response? May it be so!
By the River Together 