Seek the LORD!

Jeremiah 23:23, 24

“Am I a God near at hand,” says the LORD, “And not a God afar off? Can anyone hide himself in secret places, So I shall not see him?” says the LORD; “Do I not fill heaven and earth?” says the LORD.

1 Chronicles 16:11

Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face evermore!

Are these two passages contradicting each other? One seems to say that God is omnipresent, the other that we are to put effort into seeking Him. How do we justify God's omnipresence with commands to seek Him?

A short while ago I meditated on God's incomprehensibility. One example of something that is incomprehensible to us is His omnipresence. Put simply, God's omnipresence means that He is in all places. There is no place that God does not dwell. As well as this, however, it involves God being fully present in every place. Omnipresence doesn't only refer to His ability to be in all places but also be fully present everywhere.

God does not have any physical qualities that can occupy space. He doesn't occupy space like a table does. We, as humans, are finite in regard to space. We cannot be in more than one place at a time. God, however, is infinite not only in time but also in space. It is difficult to understand, but we must remember that He is incomprehensible in some aspects.

This omnipresence is a huge comfort for us but also a warning. Be warned that there is no place to hide from God. God's personality (except for His benevolence) is even felt in hell:

“Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
If I ascend into heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there” (Psalm 139:7-8).

However we can always be comforted knowing that God is always with us.

“If I take the wings of the morning,
And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
Even there Your hand shall lead me,
And Your right hand shall hold me” (Psalm 139:9-10).

We always have His undivided attention. When we call upon Him, He is not preoccupied with something else on the other side of the world, or on another planet. “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).

So the fullness of God is always in every place. Why, then, must we “seek the LORD” (1 Chron 16:11)? Aren't we always in His presence? Yes and no. Yes, God is omnipresent and therefore He is always near us. But there is a sense that God is not always near us. There are times when we become neglectful of God, give Him no thought, don't trust Him, and don't value Him. In that sense God is not always in our presence. That's why we are commanded to “Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face evermore!”

God commands us to be continually conscious of God and His greatness and beauty and worth. Practically how do we do this? Colossians 3:1-2 gives us a clue:

“If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.”

In order to seek God and “those things which are above”, we must set our mind on them. Set your mind on God instead of a sports star or an actor. Set your mind on everlasting life rather than having fun in this one. Set your mind on the angels rather than money. Saturate your mind with the Word and Spirit rather than alcohol. Set your mind on God's will rather than doctors and physicians (2 Chronicles 16:12).

There are obstacles in our way as we attempt to seek God. Satan puts them there. Don't be thrown by them. Step around them with God's help. Cry out for Him to assist you. “Seek the LORD while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near” (Isaiah 55:6). Call upon Him to pull away that veil in front of our eyes so that we may see Him. That veil may be pride (Psalm 10:4). Whatever it is, pull it down and plead with God to help you do so.

God promises rewards when we seek Him. Not only will we find Him: “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (James 4:8); “If you seek Him, He will be found by you” (1 Chronicles 28:9); but we will also receive other rewards: “He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6).

“The young lions lack and suffer hunger;

But those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing” (Psalm 34:10).