“Is not the LORD your God with you? And has He not given you rest on every side? For He has given the inhabitants of the land into my hand, and the land is subdued before the LORD and before His people. Now set your heart and your soul to seek the LORD your God.” 1 Chronicles 22:19

When I realize I have lost something, I generally make a hurried search to find it. Sometimes I am successful, but many times I am not. It is time to implement “Plan B.” Plan B takes a bit of studying, especially since the first search came up empty and felt like a waste of time. As much as it would have been great to find the item on the first search, attempting Plan B sharpens the anticipation because there is a greater sense of success.

Plan B requires methodology, it requires forethought, it requires review, and it requires sharpened senses. Methodology includes remembering where you have been, applying logic to the problem—“Where did I have it last?” Forethought includes considering what other forces may have been exerted upon it since it left my control, like gravity, other people moving it—“Where would it most likely be?” Review includes remembering where the first search took place and deciding if it is worth a second look—“What was I doing while I did have it?” Sharpened senses include really paying attention in the second go-round, trying to look with fresh eyes, making sure you are not allowing distraction to weaken your senses in pursuit—“What did I miss in my initial search?”

Searching for God is not quite the same pursuit. We have not “lost” God, we are lost. We are the ones needing to be found (Luke 15). Man does not do a good job “finding” God. In fact, left to ourselves, we cannot “search out” God: “There is none righteous, no, not one, there is none who understands [grasp and comprehend]; there is none who seeks after God [to search out, investigate, crave, demand], they have together become unprofitable [unserviceable, rendered useless]” (Romans 3:10ff). Because man is spiritually dead from birth, any determined search for God will fail. He will stop short by becoming satisfied with something less than the true God and the salvation that grace provides. No matter how virtuous may be his “divine” discovery, it falls short of the righteousness of God. Even believers are happy to “settle” in their knowledge of God; this should not be (Philippians 3:10).

Jesus revealed, “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). While we were dead in trespasses and sins, Christ died for the ungodly (Romans 5:8; Ephesians 2:1ff). As part of the saving grace of God, a believer is awakened to eternal truth, to eternal purpose, eternal fellowship, eternal service, and eternal living. Paul tells us in Colossians 3:1ff, “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.” His words build on the words of our Lord in Matthew 6:33: “But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”

The words of David in 1 Chronicles 22 to his son Solomon are words that echoed in the ear of each godly king in Judah’s history. Every good king heeded his words, every bad king ignored them. There were no exceptions. David’s charge to Solomon was to set his heart and soul to seek the Lord Jehovah. The search is a Plan B type of search. The pursuit of God was to take priority. His words challenge us as well.

Take time to thumb through the book of 2 Chronicles and review how many times David’s words to his descendants determine their blessing, or prove to be their curse (2 Chronicles 11:16, 12:14, 14:7, 15:12, 17:3, 26:5, 30:19, 31:21, 34:3). Isaiah 55:6ff commands, “Seek [tread toward] the LORD while He may be found [when God permits Himself to be found], call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, and He will have mercy on him; and to your God for He will abundantly pardon.”

How does a believer seek after God? Plan A searches (hurried, instant, obligatory, or curious) are just not adequate. The serious student of God’s wonders pursues Plan B by searching methodically, taking forethought, reviewing and depending upon the illumining work of the Holy Spirit. Seek out God’s Word (Psalm 119:45, 94), God’s name as He has revealed Himself (Psalm 83:16), God’s face in prayer (Psalm 27:8, 105:4), and God’s house (Deuteronomy 12:5, Psalm 100).

Not only are we commanded to seek Him, and told how to seek Him, we are also given His rules for seeking Him while He may be found. We are to seek Him with the whole heart, the search requires concentration of your being (Deuteronomy 4:29). Take time to cultivate the desire to seek Him (Job 5:8) even if it is affliction that forces you to seek Him.

Earnest pursuit of your heavenly Father is always rewarded with blessing (Psalm 119:2), joy (Psalm 70:4), favor (Lamentations 3:25), promises (Psalm 69:32), and understanding (Proverbs 23:5), and it will fill you with worshipful praise (Psalm 22:26). Searching after God is not just for kings, it is for every son of the Most High! Trust and obey.