Bible Reading: Acts 8:26:39 NLT
Key Verse :
You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. – Jeremiah 29:13 ESV
Today, we will meditate on how to seek our Lord earnestly from the bottom of our hearts. We hope you have read the above Bible reading we have provided. If not, please do so.
Even though some of us might have been Christians for many years, we may not seek Him with all our hearts. The Bible says, You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. Sometimes, our prayers are limited to lip movements. Some of our prayers stay within our house. It does not knock on the doors of heaven because we do not seek our Lord with all our hearts.
Our Bible reading passage discusses a powerful and essential Ethiopian man traveling back to Ethiopia from Jerusalem. He traveled all the way from Ethiopia to Jerusalem. The distance between Ethiopia and Jerusalem is around 4000+Km. You can see that in the Google Maps. This could be around a 100-day journey. A vital government official with power and wealth traveled for 100 tiring days in a carriage to Jerusalem to worship the Lord, and now he is returning to Ethiopia. It would be another 100-day journey. He dedicated 200 days a year to just coming and visiting the Lord in the temple. The Bible gives a glimpse of His job profile as the treasurer of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under the Kandake, the queen of Ethiopia.
When I read this passage, I marveled at this man’s thirst for God. We see many friends who wait for every holiday to make their travel plans to see the places around the world. This wealthy man could have chosen to go anywhere else in this world. But He decided to visit God’s temple and set aside 200 days a year. We are sure this Ethiopian man would also have gone through much stress as a country’s treasurer. He could have traveled to Rome to enjoy the beauty of architecture, wealth, and prosperity. He might need stress busters more than we do. But he wanted to worship God in his temple. He knew he could lay down all his burdens at His feat. He knew where he could find peace and joy. He was seeking God with all his heart. How many of us visit Church regularly? We do not have to travel 100 days today. But we sometimes skip going to Church and prefer online. There could be medical exceptions due to sickness. That’s okay. But what about those who are fit and healthy? Do we seek our God? He will not answer our prayers when we do not seek Him. Why should He? He is our heavenly father, and at the same time, He is the king of Kings and Lord of all.
Let’s once again recollect the key verse God said. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. This Ethiopian Government official chose to seek God with all his heart, and he found God.
God sent Philip to him. When Philip met Him, he was reading the Bible. The Bible says, “he was reading aloud from the book of the prophet Isaiah.“
In the first century AD, widely popular versions of the Bible were available in Greek and Hebrew. Greek was an official communication language in the Roman world. The Ethiopian official possibly read the Greek version of the Bible as he traveled back. Some of us might catch up on YouTube shorts during our long travel. Others could keep a few storybooks handy to kill the boredom if we make a long journey. But this Ethiopian man decided to read the Bible. He read it aloud. Walking next to him, Philip could hear what the Ethiopian man was reading. He was reading so loudly. When was the last time we read the Bible aloud? We might even feel ashamed to read the Bible in public. But the Ethiopian man was seeking God with all his heart.
Philip asked Him whether he understood what he was reading. The Bible says, “Philip ran over and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah. Philip asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” The man replied, “How can I, unless someone instructs me?” And he urged Philip to come up into the carriage and sit with him.” Today, we have much access to knowledge to understand the Bible. He was reading the passage of Isaiah 53 about Jesus Christ. But he does not know who Jesus is.
The Ethiopian official was seeking and seeking with all His heart. Jesus sent a special friend to him in the form of Philip. As they traveled, Philip shared the Gospel of Jesus with Him. The words of Philip thoroughly watered the hungry spiritual heart of the Ethiopian. He accepted Jesus and went on His way.
Jesus said, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” – John 7:37,38. Are you thirsty for Jesus today? You do not have to travel 100 days to meet Him. Jesus is standing right next to you to meet you where you are.
The Bible says, “For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, And floods on the dry ground; ” – Isaiah 44:3 KJV.
We are going through the season of lent to remember the God who came to earth and died for us on the cross. Can we take this period to seek Him with all our hearts? You will find solutions for all your problems in His presence. His presence will answer your life questions that you cannot find anywhere else.
Let’s go to the presence of Jesus and pray to Him. Let’s seek Him today with all our hearts. He has the answer to our prayers. Please place your hand on your heart and pray the below prayer from the bottom of your heart in your own words.
Dear Jesus, I (Insert your name) come to your presence seeking you with all my heart. You are my God. I did not seek you enough in my life. At times, I gave you the last priority in life. I come to you today asking for forgiveness. I came to you in the past only when I had needs. Please forgive me. You are the Lord of all. Please come into my life. Let my heart thirst for you. Let me seek you diligently with all my heart. You alone can quench all my thirst. You are the prince of peace. I invite you into my life.
Thank you for giving me this wonderful day. Please lead me. You know the challenges I am going through. Let me meditate on the great sacrifice you have made for me on the cross. I worship you and bow down before you. I pray in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.
Dear Friend, thanks so much for joining us today. We are praying for you. Jesus is our hope. He will answer all the prayers. Please continue to hold on to Him.