FINDING GOD

“As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever.”

(1 Chronicles 28:9, NKJV)

These are some of the last instructions of King David, to his son, Solomon.  In his final days, David set everything in place that Solomon would need to successfully rule the nation. He collected great stores of wealth and supplies. He trained and organized people to serve in various positions throughout the kingdom to run the political, military, and religious systems of the day. But David knew, and told his son, that the most important thing of all is to find God. God had been with David throughout his life, and had given him victory over all his enemies and great wealth and power. he wanted Solomon to be blessed by God as well.

Know God.  Serve God.  Seek God.

David instructed Solomon to do three things to find God and develop a good relationship with Him. First he told Solomon to know God. If you do not know God, the rest is impossible. You must have a personal relationship with God. Today, that relationship begins with faith in God's Son, Jesus Christ, who died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins and rose again.

Second, he told Solomon to serve God. Specifically, he told him to serve God in two ways. He was to serve God with a loyal heart - a heart that was completely surrendered to God. He was also to serve God with a willing mind. He was not to serve God out of coercion, but out of a sincere love for God.

Third, he told Solomon to seek God. He explained that those who seek God will find Him. No one can find God unless God reveals Himself to them. He chooses to reveal Himself to those who seek Him. But those who forsake God and refuse to believe, will be cast off by God.

These same principles are true today. Have you found God?