Living His Word

Isaiah 55:6 ERV: So you should look for the LORD before it is too late. You should call to him now, while he is near.

God comes near to us by revealing Himself to us, but in order for this revelation to be effective there is something we must do. We must look for the Lord. Hebrews 11:6 says that we should “sincerely try to find Him.” Jeremiah 29:13 quotes the Lord as saying “when you search for me with all your heart, you will find me.” It is our sin that has alienated us from God and it is necessary, therefore, that we turn from our sin and look for God. We should turn from looking anywhere and everywhere else and look for Him.

Our verse for today tells us that we should turn to God and look for Him before it is too late. The most obvious example of this is that we must turn to God before we die. Death ends all opportunity to turn back to God. We must also turn to God before Jesus returns. The Second Coming also ends all opportunity to turn back to God. Further, we must turn to God before time passes us by. Hebrews 3:7-8 tells us that there are times of opportunity to turn back to God. If we miss them, we may be too late.

Our verse for today also tells us that we should call to God while He is near. There are times when God comes closer to us than normal. These are the times when God reaches out to us and reveals Himself to us with more urgency. Instead of just letting us continue on our way apart from Him, He comes close and calls out to us. Isaiah 65:1 says there are times when God cries out “Here I am, here I am.” When we hear His voice, we should turn to Him, look for Him, and call out to Him. We should not harden our hearts and ignore Him.

Amos 5:6 tells us that if we will seek the Lord we will live. God commands us to look for Him because He wants to be found by us and bless us. It pays to look for the Lord.

James 4:8 promises that if we come near to God He will come near to us. Let us draw near to God and live.