When I saw this sign, I tried to complete it incorrectly with “and lean not on your own understanding,” which I could write a book on. But of course, that is not this verse. The verse I was thinking of is Proverbs 5-6 where it states: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.”
I am anything BUT a Bible scholar, but the saying on this sign actually seems to be a condensed version of phrasing that is found in several different verses such as in Deuteronomy 4:29-31 where it states:
“But from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul.”
Or, in Jeremiah 29:13 where it states “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.”
And actually, I didn’t do a deep dive, but I found over fifty verses that talked about seeking the Lord. So obviously, it is important.
When I think of the word “seek” I think of playing that game “Hide and Seek” when I was a kid and always sucking wind because I was never a good runner. And of course, EVERY game back then seemed to involve some version of tag (which I hated ALL versions of.) So, already, just after reading this sign, I dumped all my emotional baggage at the base as if to say “But God, why? Why do I have to seek you?”
I can only suppose it would be because he wants to be wanted, which I can completely relate to. So, since His desire is for us to desire a relationship with Him, and He gives us free will, He wants us to use it to find Him. AND— by giving us free will, God also gives us the freedom of whether we decide to choose him or not. Despite how much he loves us and sacrificed for us, he still wants us to choose.
Talk about religious freedom.
But he doesn’t just say “Seek me…” he follows it up in these verses with “…with all your heart.” So, this says to me, be all in or don’t expect to find Him.
So my lackadaisical, lack of commitment “Hide and Seek” playing wouldn’t cut it for God. He doesn’t want me to keep an eye out for base and never venture too far from it just to make sure I can tag someone when they dart back to base without me actually running too much. (Duh, you KNOW I had a strategy ;) ) No— he wants me to dig in and commit with everything I have.
I will be honest, it seems like I have a little bit of an unfair advantage to this now, because Vince was my person— 100%. When he was here with me, most of my focus would be on him, and everything else (besides Tommy) would get the remainder of me. But God doesn’t want the remainder, he wants all of me. Which is easier to do when you are broken and the void that is left from the empty space your person occupied is wider and bigger than any space you can define.
So here I am, seeking God with a shattered heart. Searching and seeking His messages on church signs, backroads, and anywhere else I can find Him. And even though I am the one that is seeking, despite the free will, He is still leading me.