SEEK – FIND – RECEIVE – A Devotion from the Edges while Following Jesus.

Seeking, Finding, and Receiving

Prayerfully prepared by Pastor Calvin Cook

February 13, 2025

Luke 11:9-10 And I tell you, Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

Sunday after dinner at church. Our Next Gen Pastor Micah led the church in a time of trivia and some mind games. There was a word search sheet passed out and I was amazed at how many people took that word search very serious. How intently some were at searching for the words in a jumbled mess of letters. It was something that young and old were very intent on and it drew their attention away from everything else.

As this has been on my mind, I have thought much about searching for the right things. Whether it is a word to use in an appropriate place, an action to take at the right moment, a prayer to pray in the right way, or in knowing and seeking the right answer for the many questions and life situations that we have.

This morning as I listened to some music, the song “Trust in God” came up on the playlist. A line from the song “I sought the Lord, and He heard and He answered, (repeat, repeat ) That’s why I trust Him ! (repeat, repeat) Trust in God !

In our spiritual journey, we often find ourselves seeking, finding, and receiving. We seek God’s presence and guidance in our lives, and in moments of clarity and revelation, we find Him. In these holy encounters, we receive answers, blessings, and assurance. But – are we receiving the answers to our situations or do we continue to search for answers that fit what we want it to say.

Joseph’s story in Genesis 45 is a powerful illustration of this cycle. Sold into slavery by his own brothers, Joseph’s path was one of constant seeking. He sought God’s favor and remained faithful through trials and tribulations. His perseverance was not in vain; he found God’s presence even in the darkest moments.

In Genesis 45:7-8, Joseph reveals himself to his brothers and says, “But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God.” Joseph’s words, “I am in the place of God,” reflect his understanding that he was where he was meant to be, by God’s design. Should we not all be seeking to be in the place that God wants us to be even when we don’t agree with it. In finding God, Joseph received the revelation that his suffering had a divine purpose.

As we seek God with all our hearts, we find Him in the most unexpected places and ways. And in these sacred moments, we receive His wisdom, love, and peace. Let us continue to seek, find, and receive, trusting that we are also in the place of God, right where He intends us to be.

“I sought the Lord, and He heard and He answered, That’s why I trust Him”