The Result of Seeking God
Yael Eckstein | January 26, 2023
But may all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who long for your saving help always say,
“The LORD is great!” — Psalm 70:4
Today, I continue with a new devotional series on joy, simcha — the joy found in the grateful acceptance and celebration of each day God has given to us. Join me as we explore teachings on the joy found in connecting with God and with others.
Have you ever thought about the difference between a reward and a result? Sometimes it’s just a matter of perspective. Let me explain. If I ask my kids to clean up their rooms, the result is that their rooms will be neat and tidy.
Now, as far as I’m concerned, having a nice clean room is also the reward for tidying up. I mean, isn’t it nice to live in a clean room? But as kids are kids, having a clean room just isn’t enough of a reward, they need something else to sweeten the pot.
Still, as we grow, we mature into the idea that the result is the reward. The Jewish sages put it this way, “The reward for a good deed is the good deed itself.” In other words, the positive result of doing the right thing ought to be all the reward we need.
I thought about this idea when reading Psalm 70: “But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who long for your saving help always say, “The LORD is great!”
The Result of Seeking God
Two points stood out for me as I read this verse. First, King David did not say “may all who find you rejoice and be glad in You.” He said that all we need to do is seek God and we will “rejoice and be glad in you.”
Now, you might think the verse is saying that the reward for seeking God is that He will grant us joy and happiness. But that’s not what this verse is saying. Rather, David is teaching us that joy and gladness are the direct result of seeking God.
Seeking God means looking for His hand in creation. It means looking at sweet children or beautiful animals and seeing God, their Maker. Seeking God also means looking beyond the surface of a difficult situation to see how God is working it out for the best. Seeking God also means studying His Word. It certainly means calling out to God in prayer.
David teaches us that the result of seeking God is a positive attitude, filled with the joy and gladness of knowing that God is with us, always. And that certainly is our reward as well!
Your Turn:
How might you seek out God today? Keep God first place in your awareness and notice how you are filled with joy and gladness as you recognize that God is everywhere when we seek Him.