Jesus said, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened" (Matt. 7:7-8).

There are a lot of things which can be found by seeking after. We can find these things to be helpful in our lives. Let's take a look at some of these things:

(1) Man stands in the need of grace. The word grace means favor. As the apostle wrote the Hebrews, he said. "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need" (Heb. 4:16). As we approach the throne of God in prayer, grace can be found. So many fail to seek this blessing in prayer.

(2) Mercy can be found. Paul told Timothy, "The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day: and how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well" (2 Tim. 1:18). Here Paul is expressing his concern for Onesiphorus. In expressing this concern Paul points up the fact that mercy can be found of the Lord. All of us stand in the need of the mercy of God.

(3) The need for pasture. Jesus said, "I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture" (Jn. 10:9). As the shepherd leads his sheep in for protection and out for pasture and water, so Christ promised these things for His people. The pasture of Christ is the bread and water of life. If we will seek after we can find and say as did David, "The Lord is my shepherd: I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters" (Psa. 23:1-2).

(4) We must seek after life. "He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it" (Matt. 10:39). The Lord had just said that those who failed to take up the cross and follow Him were not worthy of Him. He who tried to find life apart from the cross would lose his life or soul. Those who sacrifice the temporal life can find eternal life.

The fact that many do not enjoy the things of God is because they fail to seek after them in the Bible manner. Seek that you may find.

Truth Magazine XXIII: 40, p. 652
October 11, 1979