What Are You Preparing Your Heart to Seek?

Poochy, one of my best dogs when I was a child, was a Beagle hound. I have so many fond memories of going hunting with him.  Poochy’s instinct was to chase rabbits and he had a heart prepared to do just that.  How did he prepared or set his heart (innermost nature) to seek rabbits? I don’t know. All I know is he had an innermost desire to go hunting with me, be with me, and chase any animal I sicked him on.

He was prepared to go with me anywhere and in any type of weather.  Nothing would stop him from doing what he was purposed to do.  If a rabbit ran in a hole, Poochy would dig until he was worn out trying to get him out.  Many times I would have to pick him up and carry him to the truck because he didn’t want to give up on getting a rabbit.  Can I learn from Poochy’s tenacity for chasing rabbits? Solomon said in Proverbs 6:6 “Go to the ant, you sluggard!  Consider her ways and be wise, which having no captain, overseer or ruler, provides her supplies in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest. (NKJV)

I cannot remember ever seeing Poochy eat a rabbit. I can remember his tail wagging when I held up the rabbit I shot that he had chased for several minutes. Why was he so set on chasing rabbits when he never gained anything by chasing them through brush piles, blackberry thickets, creeks and cold weather?  I can’t speculate on what this little dog had on his mind, but I think he did it so passionately because he knew that was his purpose.  And he carried out his purpose with all his heart.

The ants are prepared for gathering food in summer, Poochy was prepared for chasing rabbits on a moment’s notice, no matter the weather conditions, so what is my heart prepared to seek? Is it a career, a big house, popularity, etc. or is it to seek the Lord?

If I prepare my heart to seek the Lord and love Him with all my heart, soul, mind and strength, what will my life look like and what will my family look like? What trials and storms of this world can I withstand? Will I be diligent pursuing my God given purpose in seeking Him, loving Him, and obeying Him?

A Pew Poll a few years ago said the population of the United States was 78 percent Christian.  It doesn’t matter which media I receive information from, my perception is only a small percentage of those “Christians” have prepared (set) their hearts (inner being, will) to seek God.  I cannot avoid looking inward myself and asking the question, “Have I prepared my heart to seek the Lord?”.

Does God’s word say anything about man preparing his heart to seek the Lord? In 2 Chronicles 12:14 we read of King Rhehoboam.  And he did evil, because he did not prepare his heart to seek the Lord.  We also read in 2 Chronicles 19:3 of Jehu the son of Hanani the seer speaking to the King Jehoshaphat, Nevertheless good things are found in you, in that you have removed the wooden images from the land, and have prepared your heart to seek God. (NKJV)

We all prepare or set in our heart to seek something. We unlike animals that have been given instinct, have a will.  God created man in His image and let him have dominion over everything on this earth.  In Deuteronomy 4:27-29, read what God tells His people who have fallen away serving gods made with men’s hands. He tells them in verse 29, But 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. (NKJV)

Have we in this country served other gods made with men’s hands?  What is made with men’s hands that we choose over preparing our hearts to seek God? Sports, recreation, social media, money, careers, education, political correctness, alternate lifestyles, to name a few, have distracted mankind from preparing his heart to seek God.  The above activities are then made evil because they are in place of preparing the heart to seek God.  Also, some are evil because God has said not to do them.  Some are ok if they do not come before God in our lives.  Good examples are sports and some recreation.  God knows we have need of some things. Please read Matthew 6:25-34. Christ tells us not to worry, but to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

What motivates us to prepare our hearts to seek God? How do we do it? Why do we have to do it? What are the obstacles standing in our way? What happens to us and our families if we do or do not do it?

Look for upcoming post that will give us some ideas and examples of how to prepare our hearts and also,  the way some great men of God prepared their hearts to seek God.

You may not need this, but I do.  I hope in the next posts you can read how I have struggled in preparing my heart to seek God.  Many forces and trials have tried to obstruct my path in seeking God.  Poochy didn’t give up on seeking rabbits and I am not going to give up on seeking God.  I hope I can write something and use God’s word for you to come to the same conclusion.

Thanks for reading. Please share on Facebook or email to your friends and family.  We have a God who loves us and an enemy, Satan, who hates us. We will serve one or the other.  We can’t serve both. It is and always has been our choice.