What Seek Ye?

When two of the disciples of John the Baptist heard the Savior speak, they followed Him.  We read, “Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye?”  That powerful question is just as pertinent to us today and I believe the Savior would ask it to each of us: What are you looking for in life?  What do you really want?  What is your heart seeking most intently?  The Savior would later promise that when we seek we will find: “Seek, and ye shall find” (Matt. 7:7).  We have to decide, though, what it is that we will seek for the things of God or the things of the world.  The Savior urged His followers not to seek for that which the world seeks for: “And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. (Luke 12:29-31).  I believe here that the reference to what we eat and drink are a symbol generally to the things of the world that so many focus on.  In Matthew’s account He put it this way: “Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek)” (Matt. 6:31-32).  One of the great challenges of our lives is to not seek primarily for these things of the world but to seek Jesus and His kingdom first; then “all these things” that we have need of will be provided for us.       

               In the Book of Mormon we have a more complete description of what it is that Satan tries to get us to seek for.  When the people turned back to their wickedness shortly before the coming of the Savior, Mormon described what had happened: “Now the cause of this iniquity of the people was this—Satan had great power, unto the stirring up of the people to do all manner of iniquity, and to the puffing them up with pride, tempting them to seek for power, and authority, and riches, and the vain things of the world” (3 Nephi 6:15).  Those four items summarize well what the world would have us seek for today: power, authority, wealth, and material things.  Modern revelation cautions us against focusing on these.  The Prophet Joseph wrote, “We have learned by sad experience that it is the nature and disposition of almost all men, as soon as they get a little authority, as they suppose, they will immediately begin to exercise unrighteous dominion” (Doctrine and Covenants 121:39).  The allure of authority over others can easily lead to our downfall if we are not careful.  Another revelation cautions, “Seek not for riches but for wisdom; and, behold, the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto you, and then shall you be made rich. Behold, he that hath eternal life is rich” (Doctrine and Covenants 6:7, 11:7).  This was so important to the Lord that He repeated it twice: we should seek the wisdom of God over worldly riches.  Emma was similarly cautioned not to seek for the vain things of the world: “And verily I say unto thee that thou shalt lay aside the things of this world, and seek for the things of a better” (Doctrine and Covenants 25:10).

               So what should we seek?  There are plenty of answers in the scriptures.  Following Abraham’s example we should be a “be a greater follower of righteousness, and to possess a greater knowledge” (Abraham 1:2).  The Lord invited us four times in modern revelation to “seek to bring forth and establish the cause of Zion” (Doctrine and Covenants 6:6, 11:6, 12:6, 14:6).  Three times we are told in the Doctrine and Covenants to “seek learning even by study and also by faith” (Doctrine and Covenants 109:7, 14; 88:118). Hyrum was invited to “seek the kingdom of God, and all things shall be added according to that which is just” (Doctrine and Covenants 11:23).  We are also told to “seek the face of the Lord always, that in patience ye may possess your souls” (Doctrine and Covenants 101:38).  We are to seek righteousness, learning, to bring forth Zion, the kingdom of God, and even to see the face of the Lord.  Perhaps Moroni summed up all of these best when he invited us in these words, “I would commend you to seek this Jesus of whom the prophets and apostles have written, that the grace of God the Father, and also the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, which beareth record of them, may be and abide in you forever” (Ether 12:41).