Getting Found by God

- Getting Found By God

"You can never please God without faith, without depending on him. Anyone who wants to come to God must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely look for him." (Hebrews 11:6 TLB)

We talk a lot about finding God, but never about being found by God. And this is because it always begs the question of "why do I have to worry about that when God is omniscient and all-seeing?" Well, it is important that I tell you about this today, because being found by God is more than just about He knowing your geographical location per time. Even an ordinary GPS can do that. Rather it's more of Him recognizing how aligned you are to His ways.

In the above scripture, we are told that we cannot please God without faith. In verse 1 of the same chapter, the writer tells us what faith is: an evidence, a substance that legitimizes belief as occurrence and in response actualizes it. But then you'd notice that we are also told that it isn't just about finding God, but being found by Him; because to be rewarded by Him, you first have to be found, and this is where pleasing Him comes in.

I'll give an analogy. 

It's like God is on a super lit stage with all of the fancy and blinding lights where we can all see Him, just like how it is in one of your favourite musicians' concert. Which is basically what happens when we hear or read His Word. While we are like the crowd who are in the shadows. We can see Him just like you can that popstar on stage, but when He finds us is similar to how this same popstar spots you from stage. 

What happens? 

The spotlight is beamed on you. 

In the same way, being found by God is like having a spotlight beamed on you so He can see and identify you, smile at you, is pleased by you. And this is something only faith can achieve.

It's what happens when we depend on Him. It's what happens when Bartimaeus refused to stop believing that day could be his since Jesus was passing by. The Bible says Jesus stopped. The same thing happened with the centurion that made Him marvel in Matthew 8:5-10. When we get God to stop and focus on us, that's Him finding us. And like Bartimaeus and that centurion we do this only through faith. Through depending on Him.

Most times, we hope for things to happen. Even base it on luck or coincidence, but never believing that it will happen because God promised He would do it if we seek Him for it. So we hardly even seek, because He is not really whom we are believing. We are just hoping the universe will conspire to favor us, not He who made the universe. But that's the problem, that isn't being intentional; and faith is intentional. Faith knows what it wants and the way to get it--which is the Source of all things Himself.

And if you noticed, the end of our theme verse says He will reward those who sincerely look for Him, or add Him to their works; not just those who have works. That's why even in scripture as well as in present life, some people keep getting more even when you are both putting in the same energy and tactics.

It's because the faith that God principally honors isn't just merely believing, but believing because HE SAID. It's backed by His Word. And that's what pleases Him; not your optimism or progressive mentality alone, but actually banking on His Word, and standing on a belief He affirms.

So, here's what I'll advice you to do: Hold on to God's Word and live by it. Make it the only truth. Believe it even if it means doubting your own calculations. That's how we please Him. Putting Him first, not only as who we seek, but as whom we trust. And trust me, no one ever did this and never got recognized by God. He says "Be delighted with the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart." (Psalms 37:4). Because once He spots you in the crowd, your life ceases to be the same. Like it was with Bartimaeus.