Dear Inotof,
It's an interesting question that more people ought to ask- "how does one seek God with his whole heart?"
The danger of this question is that it almost implies that 'proper technique' is the answer.
It almost implies that man has to 'get it right' to 'solve God'.
It also seems to beg for 'fill in the blank' answers.
However, it remains a wonderful question....assuming that the purpose is to actually take action in looking for God.
I don't want to give an 'answer' but I'd like to share with you what I have.
If you look to all of the parables of Jesus and the beautides and......well, the whole Bible, you'll find common theme about those who will find God (for real). The one thing they point to is that a man must be desparate for God- not in his mind, but truly in his heart. One can't think his way into being desparate.
By desparate I mean that a person must come to a place in his heart where cost is not a factor. Knowing God becomes priceless. All of the things that there are to hold onto simply lose their value when placed against the blessedness of knowing one's Creator.
In the gospels, Jesus talks about the 'poor in spirit', 'those who hunger and thirst after righteousness', 'those who mourn', the parable of the peril of great price, the rich, young ruler, ect. It's all over the old testament and the new testament; those who are willing to give up everything and walk away from anything to follow God, they will have what they so despartely long for.
There is a desperate recognition that their lives no longer are worth living without God........and not to mention a recognition that their lives don't belong to them anyway.
Anyone would agree to this, but most people only know this in their heads. But it's not our "whole head" that counts but rather our whole heart.
Few people have this desperation for God in their heart to where it has become their reality.....God or bust. (sounds corny, but it get's the point across.)
Many people are just looking to 'assimulate' God in their lives rather than give God their lives.
They are looking for..........
God and their career,
God and their friends,
God and good times,
God and the American dream,
God and their ministry,
God and their music,
God and their family,
God and their church,
God and their sports,
God and their bible,
God and their theology,
God and their 'christian life',
God and........well, something else.
The point is, they are looking for more than just God......which means they are not looking for God at all, other than maybe as a means to get their way.
These do not seek God with their whole heart because there remains portions of their heart given to something or someone else......this because they still love their own lives and pursue their own intrests.
The "cost" of God is still an issue. They still want to haggle and negotiate in order to salvage something for themselves.
But God will not be shared. He is a jealous God.
Ever wonder why you look around (even on this website) and find endless chatterings about many subjects? Ever wonder why so many 'christians' seem to be fixated on so many activities?
Ever wonder why the 'christian' world is filled with so much noise and so many endless pursuits?
It is blantent manifestation as to what they really seek in their hearts...........something besides God Himself.
Yes, God's name is stamped all over it, but His being is far removed from it.
God's call in seeking Him with all our heart means literally seeking HIM with ALL our heart.
In answering your question, I don't think it has so much to do with 'what do we do?' as it does with 'what should we be?'.
"Doing" is just activity that amounts to religion. It comes from the brain rather than the heart. "Being" is something that comes from the heart, and will result in "doing".
It's the difference between a real human being and a chimp dressed up as a human being. Both can "do" many of the same things, but only one is for real. Only a the "doings" of a human are significant and true because they are a result of what they are.
We have to "be" something before we can truly "do" something. We have to be desperate for God and sincere before Him before we can "do" anything that matters. Otherwise our "doings" are no more significant than a parrot barking back words.
Am I saying that there's nothing to do? No, not at all. But I am saying that, unless the condition of being completely desperate for God and desiring to leave everything to have Him resides in your heart, the "doing" will only amount to religion.......such as what we know as Christianity these days.
It must be remembered that only God Himself is capable of breaking the hardened, self-seeking ground in our hearts so that His word may grow.
We can't "be" or "do" anything without God causing it to happen.
Man can keep trying with his programs, doctrines, books, and sermons to cause something to happen; but it is God who causes us both to will and do.
Although I've written alot in this response, I have to say that it would be destructive to give an 'answer' because God is not a math problem or some kind of puzzle solved with formulas, He's a person......a living Being.
There was a response to your letter previous to this one. The things said were reasonable and true........ and if understood from the heart, are full of life.
However, we as sinful men who like to 'conquer' things have a way of taking reasonable things like that and try to 'apply' them through methodology to 'go get' God......as if He's a video game to conquer.
Again, God is a Person. Do you want Him? Are you willing to be wholly obedient to Him as He draws you away from the other desires of your heart? If so, it's simple. Follow Him.
To give a 'somewhat answer', I think 'your whole heart' means that you are searching for ONLY Him. And if that's the case, then Him you will have.
I hope this helps,
Ern
P.S. Sorry about all the quotation marks. I used both kinds to provide a little variety. But I'm afraid it just wasn't enough to relieve this letter of such an element of obnoxiousness.
I'm just too lazy to find the bold and italic buttons.
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