Topical Bible: Seeking God: Saints: Desirous of

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In the Christian tradition, seeking God is a fundamental aspect of the believer's life, characterized by a deep yearning and earnest pursuit of a relationship with the Divine. The saints, as exemplars of faith, demonstrate a profound desire to seek God, which is evident throughout the Scriptures. This entry explores the biblical foundation and expressions of this desire among the saints.

Biblical Foundation

The desire to seek God is rooted in the understanding that God is both the source and sustainer of life. The psalmist declares, "As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul longs after You, O God" (Psalm 42:1). This imagery captures the intense longing and necessity of God's presence in the life of the believer. The saints recognize that seeking God is not merely an obligation but a vital pursuit that brings fulfillment and joy.

Expressions of Seeking God

1. Prayer and Supplication: The saints often express their desire to seek God through prayer. Daniel, known for his unwavering faith, exemplifies this in his consistent prayer life. Despite the threat of persecution, Daniel continued to pray three times a day, seeking God's guidance and presence (Daniel 6:10). Prayer becomes a conduit through which the saints communicate their longing for God.

2. Meditation on Scripture: The Word of God serves as a primary means through which the saints seek Him. The psalmist proclaims, "I seek You with all my heart; do not let me stray from Your commandments" (Psalm 119:10). By meditating on Scripture, the saints align their hearts with God's will and deepen their understanding of His character.

3. Worship and Praise: Worship is another expression of the saints' desire to seek God. King David, a man after God's own heart, exemplifies this through his psalms of praise and adoration. In Psalm 63:1, he writes, "O God, You are my God; earnestly I seek You. My soul thirsts for You, my body yearns for You, in a dry and weary land without water" . Worship becomes an act of seeking, where the saints draw near to God with reverence and love.

4. Obedience and Holiness: The saints' desire to seek God is also manifested in their commitment to live holy and obedient lives. The apostle Paul urges believers to "present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God" (Romans 12:1). Through obedience, the saints demonstrate their longing to align their lives with God's purposes and to experience His presence more fully.

5. Community and Fellowship: The early church provides a model of seeking God through community. Acts 2:42 describes how the believers "devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer" . In fellowship, the saints encourage one another in their pursuit of God, sharing in the joys and challenges of the faith journey.

The Promise of Finding God

The Scriptures assure the saints that their desire to seek God will not be in vain. God promises, "You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart" (Jeremiah 29:13). This promise underscores the faithfulness of God to reveal Himself to those who earnestly seek Him. The saints, desirous of seeking God, are invited into a deeper relationship with Him, marked by His presence, guidance, and love.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Job 5:8
I would seek to God, and to God would I commit my cause:
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

How Saints May Help the Devil
... Why, just look at these saints:"a drivelling set of crying ... in the same ranks with
our foes, and seeking to ravage ... I know there are such here: God forgive them ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 5 1859/how saints may help the.htm

The Sound in the Mulberry Trees
... providence necessarily runs in a continuous current; remember, you may to-morrow
without seeking God's advice venture ... Did any of the saints of God who were ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 3 1857/the sound in the mulberry.htm

Describes the Hideous Appearance of a Soul in Mortal Sin as ...
... committing a mortal sin, instead of seeking to please ... are easily vanquished, although
desirous not to offend God. ... His Blessed Mother and the saints for their ...
/.../teresa/the interior castle or the mansions/chapter ii describes the hideous.htm

Showing How Some Men Live Contrary to These Exercises
... turned away from God, and inclined towards himself, in natural love, seeking and
desiring ... Yet they live contrary and unlike to God and all saints and all ...
/.../john/the adornment of the spritual marriage/chapter lxvi showing how some.htm

Of the Ordering of all the virtues through the Seven Gifts of the ...
... Strength he is steadfast in praising God, seeking and meaning ... abides in us, together
with all saints, an eternal ... And in the meeting with God, the radiance and ...
/.../john/the adornment of the spritual marriage/chapter lxiii of the ordering.htm

God's Love for a Sinning World
... wakeful jealousy over each other's welfare, seeking always to ... Think you God would
have done all this if ... Martyrs and saints enjoy their sufferings"filling up ...
//christianbookshelf.org/finney/sermons on gospel themes/i gods love for a.htm

The God of the Aged
... just the same as the experience of the saints now; and ... I have been all these years
seeking the Lord; now my ... May God Almighty bless you, for the Saviour's sake! ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 2 1856/the god of the aged.htm

St. Ambrose Deprecates any Praise of his Own Merits...
... hear with true love and meekness, as men seeking what is ... he opened his mouth to
blasphemy against God, to blaspheme ... and to make war with His saints," [2087] so ...
/.../ambrose/works and letters of st ambrose/chapter xv st ambrose deprecates.htm

The Duty of the People of God to Excite Others to Seek this Rest.
... exciting and helping others to discern their title to the saints' rest ... Wo to us,
if God had been as impatient with us as we ... Another hinderance is, self-seeking. ...
/.../baxter/the saints everlasting rest/chapter ix the duty of.htm

Colossians i. 26-28
... since it hath been manifested to His saints alone. ... He hath spoken loftily, and
accumulated emphasis, seeking, out of ... for this too is of God's lovingkindness to ...
/.../homily v colossians i 26-28.htm