Seeking Jesus (John 7:32-36

Today's scripture: John 7:32-36

Jesus told the Pharisees that He would be going somewhere—somewhere they would not be able to go.

This was perplexing then ... and somewhat perplexing now. What did Jesus mean? We now know He meant He'd be ascending to heaven for all eternity. So why wouldn't the Pharisees be able to go there as well?

The Bible tells us that those who seek God with a sincere heart will find Him (see Jeremiah 29:13). And those who choose to follow Him, accepting the gift of salvation through belief in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, will spend eternity with Him (see John 3:16).

So, if the Pharisees sought Him, why wouldn't they find Him? Because they weren't seeking Him with hearts to know truth. They merely wanted to shut Him up, to keep Him from teaching truth. And because they didn't want to really know Him, they wouldn't one day be with Him in heaven.

We know that some of the Pharisees eventually sought Jesus with sincere hearts. Nicodemus not only sought Jesus in secret in John 3, but he also publicly aligned with his Savior after Jesus' death by helping to take His body to the tomb (John 19:38-40). But sadly, most of them were so caught up in legalism to recognize Jesus as their long-awaited Messiah.

What are the lessons? First, God will indeed reveal Himself to a seeking heart. Have you sincerely sought His truth? If not, ask Him to open your heart to Him. Second, we can be assured that we will one day go to where Jesus is.

NOTE: When I started these devotionals, they were (and still are) an extension of my private time with the Lord. I love God's word, and I love helping others see the importance of daily time studying its truths. If you have been blessed by these weekday devotionals, would you consider sharing them with your friends and family? You can share them on Facebook or Google+, or just email the links. Thanks!