Seek him while he is near
The prophet's invitation
Through Isaiah, God calls out to a tired, thirsty people like a merchant in the street, except his goods are free. Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why spend your wages on what is not bread, he asks, and your labor on what does not satisfy?
Then comes the urgent heart of the invitation: seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. There is a nearness on offer now, a door standing open, that will not stand open forever. The call is to come while coming is possible.
And the promise to the one who turns is staggering in its generosity: let the wicked forsake his way, and return to the Lord, and he will have mercy, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. Not grudging pardon. Abundant.
“Seek the LORD while he may be found. Call on him while he is near.”
— Isaiah — Isaiah 55:6 (WEB)
Seek the Lord now, while he is near and the door stands open, and receive a pardon that is abundant, not grudging.
“He who comes to God must believe that he exists, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him.”
We hesitate either because we doubt God's generosity or because we assume there is always more time. Isaiah 55 confronts both: the pardon is abundant, and the nearness is now. The interior work is to believe God is the eager One in the street, to stop spending yourself on what does not satisfy, and to actually turn while turning is possible.
Make this the day you respond to these opening days of awakening. In a concrete prayer, name what you are turning from and turn to the Lord, receiving his abundant pardon — and tell one person you have done so.
Two lies stand guard over the open door. One whispers that God's pardon is too small to bother seeking; the other stretches your sense of time until you assume the door will always be there tomorrow. Isaiah's while he may be found cuts through both at once, and turns seeking into something for today.
Stage one of formation closes where it began: with an invitation. God is not reluctant; he is the One crying out in the street, offering living water for free and abundant pardon to anyone who will turn. The only thing the invitation requires is that we come while he may be found.
There is a holy urgency here without a hint of stinginess. The door is open and the pardon is abundant — but the call is to seek him now, near, today. You have heard the awakening in these opening days. Will you seek the Lord while he may be found?
- Do I believe God's pardon is abundant, or do I imagine it grudging?
- What am I spending myself on that does not satisfy?
- Will I seek the Lord today, while he is near — or assume there is always more time?
Lord, you call me to come while you may be found. I turn to you now; thank you that you abundantly pardon. Amen.