The Quest - Finding God

Psalm 32:6 For this cause everyone who is godly shall pray to You 
In a time when You may be found…

I am meditating on the subject of seeking the Lord: “…in a time when He may be found…” I know I am taking a portion of a verse, and not really looking at the context…just this one thought – that there are times when the Lord can be found – more than other times, and the Lord is inviting us to seek Him through prayer in that particular time or season.

I want to know when those times are, and how I can figure out this principle of “breaking in on Him” and “finding Him.” This is, surely, our ultimate quest.

The Hebrew word for “found,” in this verse is: māsā, which is used approximately 450 times in the Word. It means, “to find,” but also “overpowered,’ “captured,” “held,” “caught,” “apprehended,” “to come upon,” and “meet.”

Just think about that!!! He really does want us to find Him in such a way that we break in on Him, apprehend Him, overpower Him and meet with Him! This is not presumptuous – it is the response of the Bride who is totally in love with her Savior! It is the call to prayer warriors and worshipers who set their hearts toward the Lord and seek Him with intensity and passion. It is the natural response of those who are prepared to linger and lean in on His presence with all their heart.

The Theological Wordbook of the old Testament says: “As a generalization, we may say that whenever māsā is used to describe a result following a time of “seeking” the translation is “to find.” Thus, Deut. 4:29, ‘If you seek (bāqash) the Lord, you shall find (māsā) him.”

We are also invited to seek Him in Is. 55:6 “Seek (bāqash) the Lord while He may be found (māsā); call on Him while He is near.”

This word can be used regarding a thief who is caught or captured. Might I say that He has broken in on me, wooed me and captured my heart…now He invites us to break in on Him and take hold of Him so that He cannot go. Like Jacob, we may wrestle with Him and hold on in this season when He may be found.

There are twelve instances in the Word where the subject of māsā is God: Gen. 18:26, 28, 30, 44:16; Deut. 32:10; Job 33:10; Neh. 9:8; Ps. 17:3; 89:20; Jer. 23:11; Eze. 22:30; Hos. 9:10

How Do We Find Him?

• We find Him when we read His Word – Ps. 119:162 I rejoice in Your Word as one that finds great spoil (treasure).

• We find Him when we do these 7 things  – Prov. 2:1-5

-receive His words

-treasure His commands

-lean in to His wisdom

-apply our hearts to understanding Him

-cry out for discernment

-lift our voices for more of Him

-search for Him as if looking for treasure

My son, if you receive my words, And treasure my commands within you,

So that you incline your ear to wisdom,
And apply your heart to understanding;

Yes, if you cry out for discernment,
And lift up your voice for understanding,

If you seek her as silver,
And search for her as for hidden treasures;

Then you will understand the fear of the Lord,
And find the knowledge of God.

• We find Him when we seek Him early – Prov. 8:17 I love them that love me and those that seek me early shall find me

• We find Him when we pray and search for Him with all our hearts – Jer. 29:12-14 12 In those days when you pray (call upon Me), I will listen.

If you look (seek) for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.

I will be found by you,” says the Lord. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.”

• We find Him when we seek Him even in the night – and ask others to help us – going out of our way to look for Him until we find Him – Song of Sol. 3:1-4

By night on my bed I sought the one I love;
I sought him, but I did not find him.

“I will rise now,” I said,
“And go about the city;
In the streets and in the squares
I will seek the one I love.”
I sought him, but I did not find him.

The watchmen who go about the city found me;
I said,
“Have you seen the one I love?”

Scarcely had I passed by them,
When I found the one I love.
I held him and would not let him go…

So…this is another call for us to press into Him. This time, there is an urgency and violence about the pressing in. We need to take hold of Him and not let go…charge in and find Him…spend some energy in searching for Him and apprehend Him whom your soul loves!

Proverbs 8:34-35

(Blessed) Joyful are those who listen to me,

watching for me daily at my gates,

waiting for me outside my home!

For whoever finds me finds life

and receives favor from the Lord.

There are times, if we have the wisdom to discern them,

when prayer will be seasonable, acceptable, effectual.

William Greenhill.