Seek the Lord

“Seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.” –Isaiah 55:6-7

These verses should serve as a comfort and a warning to all people. They are a comfort because the Lord is available. He may be found. He is near. If only men would turn from our wicked ways and unrighteous thoughts, and would return to the Lord, they would find that He is the God of all mercy. They would experience his abundant pardon. But this also serves as a warning. There is coming a day when God will not be available. The time will be too late to turn from sin and seek the Lord. Judgment Day will arrive. And I believe it will arrive soon.

The unbeliever is running out of time to repent. Listen to the words of the apostle Paul, “Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men” (2 Corinthians 5:11). Judgment is coming, and that is our motivation for ministry. We must urge people to turn from sin and call upon the name of the Lord for salvation. In a world where the vast majority has never even heard that God is calling men everywhere to repent and turn to Jesus, we do not have time to waste.

There is no greater calling for our lives then to evangelism. And if you are a believer, you are commanded to go preach the gospel to every living creature (Mark 16:15). Evangelism is far greater than just a command. It is an honor. It is a privilege. It is a gift from God. 2 Corinthians 5:18-20 says, “Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, no imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.”

God is the God of everlasting, infinite mercy. He is awaiting sinners to forsake their wickedness and turn to Him in faith. You, my fellow-laborer, have been abundantly pardoned by the Lord, and you have been given the message and the ministry of reconciliation. Be faithful in persuading men of the truth. There is a world out there that desperately needs the abundant mercy of God. As David Platt has said, “Church we are plan A, and there is no plan B.”