Know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek [God], He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever.” (1 Chronicles 28:9)
God calls us to know Him intimately and serve Him willingly out of honest, pure motives. He also knows the thoughts and intents of our hearts. Now let’s wrap up this series by looking at the outcome for those who seek Him or reject Him.
Those Who Seek God Will Find Him
What an incredible, reassuring promise! Almighty, Omni-Everything God promises to be accessible to anyone who genuinely seeks and calls on Him! To remind us of this promise, He repeats it throughout Scripture. “Thus says the Lord … ‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty [inaccessible] things, which you do not know’” (Jeremiah 33:2-3). “You will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13). “The Lord is near to all who call upon Him … in truth” (Psalm 145:18). “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (James 4:8).
Many people who say they seek God or call on Him often get discouraged when they don’t experience or hear from Him as they expect. However, God does not lie, nor is there any trace of untruth in Him. Any disconnect remains with us, our attempts, and our expectations. To dive deeper into this, let’s look at the meaning behind several Hebrew words.
We’ve already looked at the word “searches” (darash), which means to follow after in pursuit, seeking or asking, or diligently inquiring and questioning. This same word is translated again as “seek.” Such a pursuit involves a genuine desire and wholehearted commitment. We must want Him and His presence more than anything else.
When we do this, God promises He will be “found” (matsa). This word means to come forth or appear; to achieve, attain, or acquire; to meet, be present, or take hold of. Here again, our pursuit must be wholehearted, genuine, and all-consuming. If we pursue God with such intensity, He promises that we will find Him.
If We Reject God, He Will Reject Us
I love the “if” and “then” causality of Scripture. “If you do this, then this will happen.” Both actions and consequences are clear. There’s no guessing or confusion regarding the results of our free will choices. Those who seek God genuinely, sincerely, and wholeheartedly will find Him. Then there is the “but if” for those who do not seek Him.
The Hebrew word translated “forsake” (azab) means to loosen, relinquish, or release; leave alone or behind; abandon or neglect. Such abandoning reminds me of several verses. “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way” (Isaiah 53:6). As wayward sheep, we’ve wandered off in search of something other than our Good Shepherd. Also, “Everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25). As rebellious, self-reliant people, we want to do as we please—ignoring, forsaking, and rejecting God and His Word.
Our free will grants us this option. However, we don’t have the option of changing the associated consequences. God promises to “cast off” (zanach) anyone who chooses this path. This phrase means to push aside, reject, forsake, cast away, and remove far away. What a horrible outcome! To be rejected by God, who created us, loves us, and has given us clear direction on how to establish and maintain a fulfilling, reassuring relationship with Him!
Jesus plainly said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). He also said we are either for Him or against Him (Mark 9:40). There’s no neutral ground or other option. Pursuing anything or anyone else is to reject Him. Those who reject Jesus the Son won’t find God the Father. Additionally, those who reject Jesus condemn themselves to eternal judgment (John 3:18).
Paraphrased Summary
Combining everything we’ve discovered, we could paraphrase our theme verse as follows.
God wants everyone to know Him genuinely and intimately, not just superficially. Doing so results in our willing, faithful service from grateful hearts and committed minds. He actively searches and pursues us, while fully understanding the motives behind all our intentions and reasoning. He reveals Himself to those who genuinely and sincerely pursue Him. But He abandons those who reject Him.
God is the ultimate Gentleman. He forces or coerces no one. He’s done all He can and will do to enable a relationship with Him. Jesus came to make that personal, intimate relationship possible. But He leaves the ultimate choice and associated consequences up to each person. Fulfillment in this life and a blessed eternity in the life to come hang in the balance. As King David counselled his son Solomon, “Choose wisely.”
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This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Nate Stevens.
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