\n<\/p>\n
\u201cBut from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find him, if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul\u201d (Deuteronomy 4:29).<\/p>\n
The basic idea contained in this text is found throughout scripture. I haven’t counted them, but if you took all the events “with all your heart and soul” (and with all their variations) and put them together, it would be an impressive list. Clearly, God wants us to seek Him Whole heartedly.<\/em><\/p>\n However, in our text, Moses was not just talking about general seeking of the Lord; he was talking about israel returning<\/em> To God after forsaking him. They said that if they returned, God would be willing to forgive them and bless them With all my heart.<\/em> Any fraudulent or indifferent returns will not be accepted.<\/p>\n Wholeheartedness can be thought of in different ways. If we say that someone did something \u201cwholeheartedly,\u201d it would mean that his or her effort was diligent, passionate, focused, and committed. All of these, and even more, are included when God said that Israel must return “with all their heart and with all their soul.”<\/p>\n If a person has not yet obeyed the gospel (Acts 2:37-41), the idea of \u200b\u200bwhole-heartedness should be carefully considered. Asking God for forgiveness for your sins is a serious matter, as is committing yourself to a lifetime of faithfulness after being forgiven. Jesus urged us to \u201ccount the cost\u201d of discipleship (Luke 14:25-33). If we are unwilling to open the doors and give God access to every room of our hearts (even the \u201csecret\u201d ones), it is doubtful that our intentions are as serious as they should be.<\/p>\n There is a sense in which becoming a Christian is always a “return” to God. We were born into this world innocent of any sin and in a relationship with God that was beautifully perfect. It was only when we first went against what we knew to be God’s will that our fellowship with Him was broken and spiritually speaking we found ourselves, somewhat like Israel, in exile in a foreign land. The gospel of Christ offers restoration to those who return \u2013 but only to those who return with a commitment consistent with God’s glory and love. Our loyalty must be absolutely unconditional. Certainly, our Heavenly Father \u2013 our merciful King \u2013 deserves it.<\/p>\n “For my God, a heart of flame; for my companions, a heart of love; for me, a heart of steel” (Augustine of Hippo).<\/p>\n Gary Henry – WordPoints.com AreYouaChristian.com<\/a><\/p>\n