Why does anyone need to seek the Lord? Isn’t He supposed to be all around us? A quick look at history provides the answer. You might be familiar with the story of God creating Adam and Eve and placing them in the Garden of Eden where everything was perfect.
And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.
The LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed. (Genesis 2:7-8)
In those early days, humans enjoyed perfect fellowship with God. However, the Creator gave humans a choice. They could live with God in the Garden under His authority and enjoy His blessings or they could leave Him. This choice was in the command about the forbidden fruit.
And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” (Genesis 2:16-17)
But Adam and Eve listened to God’s enemy (Genesis 3:1-5) and rebelled by eating the forbidden fruit, which broke their relationship with God.
And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. (Genesis 3:9)
Before, Adam and Eve enjoyed being with God, but now suddenly they were afraid. What changed? They did. God was the same good Creator, but man’s rebellion, called sin, separated humanity from God. This true historical event was bad news.
Today, each of us rebels against God and is separated from Him. Yet we were made for a relationship with the Lord, and only in pursing that relationship will we have the true fulfilling life that we long for. This is why we need to seek the Lord!
It is very interesting that the first recorded instance of anyone seeking is when Adam and Eve hid from God. The Lord came to seek them!
Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?” (Genesis 3:9)
In spite of their sin, God cared so much that He called out to mankind. The Lord is still calling today. This is good news.
What about humankind’s first instance of calling out to God? Sometime after Adam’s grandson was born,
“then began men to call upon the name of the Lord” (Genesis 4:26b)
Why so long? Probably by this time people saw the consequences of sin sweeping the world (Genesis 6:5) and began to call out for help. Friend, don’t wait until sin and rebellion bring pain and woe to your life. Seek God today!
Whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved. (Joel 2:32)