Cerca Trova, Italian for “seek — find,” is a phrase Giorgio Vasari painted on a green flag way at the top of his enormous fresco of the military successes of the Medici family’s Cosimo I against Pisa and Siena in the Salone dei Cinquecento (Hall of the Five Hundred in Palazzo Vecchio) in Florence, replacing the missing Leonardo da Vinci mural of the Battle of Anghiari. The meaning of Vasari’s words has been the source of much mystery and speculation among art historians and even Dan Brown in his book, Inferno. To what was Vasari referring? Was it an allusion to Inferno in Dante’s epic poem, Divine Comedy, or perhaps the fate of da Vinci’s work?
“Seek and find,” is deeply imbedded in the makeup of human beings. We all like to uncover mysteries, figure out puzzles, make discoveries, and satisfy curiosities. This thought brings me to some tricky Scripture verses about seeking and finding God, which need more than a first glance. “But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul” (Deut. 4:29 KJV). Is God playing a game of hide and seek? Is God intentionally quiet so that seekers make an effort? Or is it that people treat encounters with God like finding a treasure that had been purposely hidden because of its rarity or value? Is finding God like a holy quest fraught with overcoming obstacles that prove one’s worthiness?
At a quick surface reading is could appear that God is playing hard to get, yet all that we know of God in His Word reveals a God that is very accessible, always present, but also one who does not violate the will of humans. We seek and find what is already always there, more like removing a blind spot searching the universe. God says, says, “I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me” (Proverbs 8:17 NASB). The word “shall” is a clue to the strength of the intent. It is the strongest word in English to represent a commitment to future action, expectation, and command. It means that there is no possibility for it to not come to pass.
Consider the strength of the word “shall” in Jeremiah 29:13 NASB, “And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” There it is—an issue of heart and will. Whoever finds God is the one who earnestly seeks. God does not withhold His presence from real seekers. Think about the ones you know who have no interest is pursuing God or only search for God in the midst of trouble when all else fails, but forget about it when the trial is over. God is not hiding from them or anyone else. Their own will prevents them from seeking God, who is the answer to each heartache, pain, and lack.
People may think that they have to clean themselves up to approach the divine, which is really impossible and is a deceptive device to keep people from God. Works can never be good enough to earn God’s favor; faith pleases Him, even in doing the good works. “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him” (Heb. 11:6). We come to God in faith and then Holy Spirit continuously cleans us up like we cannot even imagine. We call it sanctification.
We also don’t find God in religious tradition or formulas. This is the point Jesus made to the religious leaders who equated obedience to religious activity with relationship. “The Pharisees heard the crowd muttering these things about Him, and the chief priests and the Pharisees sent officers to seize Him. Therefore Jesus said, ‘For a little while longer I am with you, then I go to Him who sent Me. You will seek Me, and will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come’” (John 7:43–36). Whereas rituals and traditions may celebrate God, they are not the means to finding Him. We find God with a repentant heart and faith.
Seek after God can sound and even feel like He is someplace else to be found, but ironically, He is always present. Scripture says, “that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us:” (Acts 17:27 NASB). It’s our awareness, our yieldedness, our desire for Him that opens the door and He welcomes us to the secret place of the Most High God (Psalm 91). Matthew 7:7–8 KJV says, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” It shall—no possibility of failure or denial.
The Lord’s desire is for you to commune with Him. What is keeping you from enjoying the fellowship of the living God? Why put off enjoying the fullness of God? Cerca trova—seek and find.
Copyright 2015 by Eva Benevento
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