Today’s 333 Devotional: “Why Do You Seek Jesus?”

People sought Jesus because of the miraculous signs He performed in healing the sick. They began following Jesus because of the signs and what they could get, rather than for God’s peace and the entrance of God’s kingdom.

“Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (or Tiberias). A large crowd followed Him, because they saw the signs which He was performing on those who were sick.” (John 6:1-2)

After feeding over 5,000 people with a couple loaves of bread and a few fish, Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum, and when the people found out where he went to, they came after Him.

“So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they themselves got into the small boats, and came to Capernaum seeking Jesus.” (John 6:24)

In answer to their question as to when He got there, Jesus responded, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.” (John 6:26)

What are our motives in seeking Jesus? Most of the time we seek Him out when our lives are out of whack and there are more problems than answers or solutions. Other times it is because of things we want, much like those who were following Jesus back then.

If we’re seeking Jesus just to get the stuff, then what Jesus tells us is to first seek God’s kingdom and righteousness, and then all these things will be ours (Matthew 6:33).

We need to be careful as to why we are seeking Jesus. Are we seeking Him for our physical needs or spiritual? Jesus said to the crowd to seek God’s true bread from heaven, Himself (John 6:31-40).

Our motives for seeking Jesus should not be to receive temporal benefits, although these do come as a result, but rather to receive eternal life and those rewards that last for eternity.