Found in the Seeking

You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. – (Jeremiah 29:13, HCSB)

You will search for Me, and when you search for Me with all your heart, you will find Me. – (Jeremiah 29:13, ERV)

You will look for Me intently, and you will find Me. – (Jeremiah 29:13, VOICE)

Even when things seem the darkest or most difficult, God is near and ready to help. He is gentle and kind, and waits for us to call on Him. As we do, we discover that God is present and hears our every cry. May we ever seek the Lord earnestly, for He is faithful to be found.

In the sweet seeking, 

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The Lord’s ever found;

Faithful to answer,

His love does abound.

No matter what comes,

The Lord remains near;

Our hope and our help,

Each prayer He does hear.

So call on the Lord,

Our hope, help and peace;

Earnestly seek Him,

His love will not cease.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that when we seek You, You are ever faithful to be found. Thank You that You are for us and You remain near. Forgive us for our lack of seeking in our spaces of need. Teach us to turn to You in all things, for You are present to help and worthy of all praise. Show us how to love those around us in ways that make Your love evident to all. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You with all of our heart, knowing that You are faithful forever. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

Search for the Lord and for His strength; seek His face always. – 1 Chronicles 16:11

Do Not Worry

“This is why I tell you: Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the sky: They don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they?” – (Matthew 6:25-26, HCSB)

“So I tell you, don’t worry about the things you need to live – what you will eat, drink or war. Life is more important than food, and the body is more important than what you put on it. Look at the birds. They don’t plant, harvest, or save food in barns, but your heavenly Father feeds them. Don’t you know you are worth much more than they are?” – (Matthew 6:25-26, ERV)

“This is why I tell you to never be worried about your life, for all that you need will be provided, such as food, water, clothing – everything your body needs. Isn’t there more to your life than a meal? Isn’t your body more than clothing? Consider the birds – do you think they worry about their existence? They don’t plant or reap or store up food, yet your heavenly Father provides them each with food. Aren’t you much more valuable to your Father than they?” – (Matthew 6:25-26, TPT)

When we worry, we are doing one of two things: we are either depending on our own self-sufficiency, or we are doubting the power and love of God to help us. In Christ, we have all that we need to navigate each new day. He is our Provider, and will meet us where we are with what we need. His love is greater than anything and everything that might come against us, and He is willing and ready to show us the way. Our part is to trust Him and do what He asks of us. Just as He guides the birds to fly south during the winter months so that they may have all that they need to survive, He too, will direct our steps to do our part to walk into His provision. May we ever seek the Lord in our spaces of need or worry, for He is faithful and loving and will lead us in goodness and grace to a place of plenty for each new day. 

We need not worry,

In God there’s enough;

To meet all our needs,

And smooth what is rough.

The God of heaven,

Is He who supplies;

All that is needed,

Where hope’s realized.

No matter the ask,

The Lord always hears;

He’s ready to help,

And calm ev’ry fear.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that just as the birds need not worry about what they will eat or wear, we too need not worry about anything, for You hear our every prayer. Forgive us for doubting Your provision or for trying to do everything in our own strength. Teach us to turn to You in trust and ask You to lead us with all that we need. Show us how to love those around us tangibly, so that Your heart will be made plain to all whom we meet. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we cast all our cares upon You and seek You to lead us and supply us with all that we need each day. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

For everyone who asks receives, and the one who searches finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. – Matthew 7:8

Seeking in Spaces of Need

A man with leprosy came and knelt before Him and said, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” He said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy. – (Matthew 8:2-3, NIV)

Then a man sick with leprosy came to Him. The man bowed down before Jesus and said, “Lord, You have the power to heal me if You want.” Jesus touched the man. He said, “I want to heal you. Be healed!” Immediately the man was healed from his leprosy. – (Matthew 8:2-3, ERV)

Suddenly, a leper walked up to Jesus and threw himself down before Him in worship and said, “Lord, You have the power to heal me… if You really want to.” Jesus reached out His hand and touched the leper and said, “Of course I want to heal you – be healed!” And instantly, all signs of leprosy disappeared! – (Matthew 8:2-3, TPT)

This story of the man who was healed is an excellent reminder of what we ought to do in our own spaces of need. The man who had leprosy, first came before Christ. Clearly he believed that Jesus was able to heal, as he spoke aloud and postured himself before the Lord, and stated what it was that he needed. Incredibly, Jesus did not merely speak the words, “Be healed,” but He touched the untouchable and affirmed that it was His desire to heal the one who was hurting. What this shows us is that the Lord is available and willing to meet us in our space of need, but we must come to Him and recognize who He is and ask in faith. I know there are many who come to Christ and ask to be healed yet do not see healing on this side of heaven. I wish I understood why some are healed and some are not, but I do know that Jesus hears and promises to be present in the space between our ask and our arrival. Our hope must be in who He is, and the promises that He has for us all. Whether on earth or in heaven, we have the hope that all that ails us, all that breaks hurting hearts, will one day pass away. May we hold onto the hope that is in the hands of He who is holy, and rest assured that so much more awaits us beyond today.

In spaces of need,

Come before the Lord;

He’s more than enough,

All grace He affords.

More than the body,

Christ heals our hearts;

Willingly touches,

As love He imparts.

Lord, help us to come,

Before You in trust;

For You’re always good,

Faithful, kind and just.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that we can always come before You, no matter what state we are in. Thank You that You are always willing to meet us and touch us, ever loving and full of grace. Forgive us for our doubts and fears, as we forget that our ultimate help and healing will come in heaven with You. Teach us to trust in You in such a way that we seek You in all things and at all times. Show us how to love those around us the way that You do. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we turn to You in trust, knowing that You are loving and good. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” – Matthew 11:28

Our Saving Help

But may all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; may those who long for Your saving help always say, “The Lord is great!” – (Psalm 70:4, NIV) 

But let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You, and let those who love Your saving help say again and again: “God is great!” – (Psalm 70:4, CEB) 

Let all those on the hunt for You sing and celebrate. Let all who love Your saving way say over and over, “God is mighty!” – (Psalm 70:4, MSG) 

 

God is our help and our hope, and we have reason to rejoice and be glad regardless of our circumstances because He is always good. It is the great love of the Lord that saves us, as He holds us in the hollow of His hands. The more we seek God, the more we come to know Him, and cannot help but rejoice and be glad for the salvation that He brings. May we ever seek the Lord and rejoice in Him, for He is mighty to save and loves us throughout all of our days. 

 

May each heart that seeks, Love Made Known

Rejoice and be glad; 

For our saving help, 

Is no passing fad. 

Our God is mighty, 

We’re held in His hands; 

As we seek, we find, 

He shows us His plans. 

God saves and He leads, 

As we seek His face; 

He’s faithful to help, 

For He grants us grace. 

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are faithful to hear and help us as we seek You. Thank You that we have reason to rejoice and be glad, for You are mighty to save as You love. Forgive us for not seeking You in our spaces of need, or for not rejoicing in who You are and how You love. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would remember that You hold us in Your hands and that You are greater than anything that we face. Show us how to love those around us in a way that offers strength and hope and light where there is need. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You with gladness and give You praise for Your saving ways that You extend to each of us who seek You. Amen. 

 

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you.” – Exodus 33:19