Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near.  Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. Isaiah 55:6, 7

If the Scriptures teach us anything it is that God is close to us and will continue to love us to the end. The amazing truth is that God wants to be close to us, to love us and direct our lives, but he cannot do that without our complete submission to him.

The Scriptures also teach us that mankind is rebellious and sees no reason to love God and to give their entire lives to him, to place their welfare in the hands of God.

Another thing is clear, we were made not to control our own lives as we wish but we were made to run to God and place our all under his control.

So what happens when we make one decision after another as though there was not God at all?  It must be like running away from our creator and redeemer God.

That was the story line of the sons of Abraham that Isaiah was addressing here.  They sought their own ways to prosper, doing their very best, following the gods of the cultures that are no gods at all, but devils in disguise.  It is a life of tragedy and disappointment.

So in this blessed chapter 55 our loving God pleads with those who are chasing after everything but him, to turn to him, to seek him, so to speak, even though he is not far off nor is he hidden!  The Lord must have detected at least a little desire in them to seek God, because the Word says, “seek him while he may be found, call on him when he is near.”  Of course God never moves away from us.  His love is constant.  I believe he is appealing to those who have not given up completely on God to finally, at last, turn to Him!  He will receive all who come to him in full surrender.

I love this invitation. I responded to it years ago and respond to it today as then. I can do no better than to seek the Lord for everything even in my old age, especially in my old age, I might say.

Praise the Lord for speaking to our need during this Lenten season of 2016.