A rainbow we caught in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Verses to Abide In
“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord…”
Jeremiah 29:13-14a NIV
Digging Deeper
While the return from exile fulfilled Jeremiah’s prophecy, God’s full plans for the nation’s well-being and their future of hope have not yet been realized. That fulfillment will come after the Messiah’s second coming as He installs His kingdom in Jerusalem (cf. Jeremiah 31:31 and Revelation 20). At that time, all the nation will know their God, as the New Covenant promised. In the meantime, all who seek Him with all their heart will find Him.
While these prophecies and promises are specifically related to the people of Judah and Israel, the principle that God will draw near to those who draw near to Him is a universal truth (James 4:8a). But we have to draw near to God on His own terms—with clean hands and purified hearts (James 4:8b) that only God can provide by grace through faith in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8–9). While Jeremiah’s letter recorded the words of God for the exiled people of Judah, readers today can benefit from recognizing that the same God who said, “You will find me when you seek me with all your heart,” has also told us that we can draw near to Him and He will draw near to us (James 4:8) and that He will never leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).
Why does God say, “You will find me when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13)? | GotQuestions.org
Let's Pray
This week I would like to focus on seeking God in prayer, next week on finding him.
I lift my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. O Lord, we trust that you will not let our foot be moved; you who keep us will not slumber (Psalm 121:3 ESV). Thank you. We praise you.
Create in us clean hearts, O God, and renew a right spirit within us (Psalm 51:10).
We seek you with all our heart in this moment (Jeremiah 29:13). We seek first your kingdom and righteousness over any worldly priorities (Matthew 6).
We trust in you with all our heart and lean not on our own understanding. We acknowledge you, trusting you will make our path straight and smooth. We look for your wisdom and not be wise in our own eyes. Rather, help us to fear you, Lord, and to shun evil (Proverbs 3:6–8).
We wait for you, Lord; our souls wait, and in your word we put our hope. We wait for you more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning (Psalm 130:5–6).
We pray in your name, Jesus. We trust in you. You are our trust (Jeremiah 17:7 ESV). Amen
“For I Know the Plans, Jeremiah 29:11-14a”
Here is the Jeremiah 29:13-14a part of the song!