This post was last updated on September 21, 2025

Day 243, Year 1

Seek the Lord…

“Seek the LORD, All you humble of the earth Who have carried out His ordinances; Seek righteousness, seek humility. Perhaps you will be hidden In the day of the LORD’S anger.” (Zephaniah 2:3 NASB)

Believers who are accustomed to following God’s way might risk blindly following existing habits of doing things, while seeking less of the Lord at every step in prayer. Today’s verse offers three suggestions targeting this situation so that we can avoid the anger and punishment that the Lord will inflict. Indeed, our time to dine with Jesus is limited in this life, for the day of the Lord’s anger is drawing near. We who are humble should always welcome the Lord not only in this life but also in the future.

First, seeking the face of the Lord. The word “seek” in Hebrew is baqash, which means “to seek to find, to seek to secure, to seek the face, to desire, demand, to require, to ask, or request to seek.” The spiritual rationale is that those who humbly seek the Lord should not be satisfied with understanding and walking the Lord’s way or “ordinances” solely, but should also seek the Lord and His face. One of the meanings of seeking the Lord’s face is to receive His light, grace, and presence. It signifies understanding His feelings toward different people and things, and the various reasons behind them.

Second, seeking righteousness. The word “righteousness,” tsedeq in Hebrew, has three meanings: knowing God’s justice, acting in harmony with God’s righteousness, and knowing God’s righteous people. Often, people know God’s justice before they can act in accordance with it. This implies that many of us believers need to change our standards and ways of living. Furthermore, we need to connect with God’s righteous people so that we can strengthen our hearts to practice His justice. On top of that, God’s people should follow His guidance in upholding justice and resisting unrighteousness with joined efforts for those who are oppressed.

Third, seeking humility. “Humble” is ‘anav in Hebrew, as previously mentioned; and “humility” in Hebrew is ‘anavah, which can also be translated as “gentleness, or meekness” in today’s verse. To seek humility is to seek a heart that is soft toward God and obeys His Word, as opposed to a heart that is hardened and resisting Him. When we seek spiritual gentleness, it allows us to feel the gentle heart of the Lord Jesus and resonate with His. In summary, if we seek God, obey His just judgment in every matter, and continually follow His will with a humble heart, we will then be spared from the punishment of His wrath in the future.

Reflection questions:

1) Do you tend to follow formulas or customary practice without seeking the Lord? If so, how would you change yourself?

2) Have you gotten rid of a hardened and resistant heart toward God and cultivated a soft heart that is always obeying Him? If not yet, what do you need to do?