The verse “seek the Lord while he may be found” comes from Isaiah 55:6 which says, “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near.” This verse points to an important biblical truth that there is a window of opportunity we have to seek God and find salvation in Him, and that window will not remain open forever. Let’s explore in detail what Isaiah 55:6 means and what the Bible as a whole teaches about seeking God while there is still time.
The Context of Isaiah 55:6
Isaiah 55 falls in the later part of the Book of Isaiah where the prophet is proclaiming a message of comfort, restoration, and salvation for God’s people Israel. Earlier in Isaiah, the prophet announces coming judgment and exile because of Israel’s sin and rebellion against God. But here in chapter 55, the tone changes to one of grace and hope. God promises abundant mercy, forgiveness, and restoration for those who will repent and return to Him.
Verses 1-5 invite all who are spiritually thirsty to come freely to the waters of salvation. God promises an everlasting covenant with those who seek Him in faith. Then verse 6 urges, “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near.” This verse encourages immediate action in seeking the Lord to receive the abundant blessings described in the previous verses.
The Temporary Nature of God’s Opportunity
The main thrust of Isaiah 55:6 is that the opportunity to seek God and find Him is temporary. This opportunity will not last forever. There is coming a time when God will no longer be found by those who neglected His offer of salvation. Several other Bible passages communicate this same idea:
“Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:2)
“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” (Hebrews 3:7-8)
Jesus said, “I must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.” (John 9:4)
These verses indicate that the time is short. There is only so much time allotted to us to respond to God’s offer of salvation in Christ before the door of opportunity closes.
Why the Opportunity is Limited
Why does God give us only a limited time to seek Him and find salvation? Because the opportunity is connected to God’s temporal work in the world and our physical lifetimes. Once we die, our opportunity to repent is over. As Hebrews 9:27 says, “It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment.”
Additionally, Jesus instructed us to “walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you” (John 12:35). The light of God’s saving work in Christ is only available in this world for a limited time. God promises to bring judgment against sin and remove all wickedness from His creation in the end.
That day of reckoning is coming, but it has not yet arrived. So right now is our opportunity to seek Him through the light of the gospel. When Christ returns, that window will be permanently closed.
The Urgency of Seeking God Now
Considering that the opportunity to know God is temporary, Isaiah 55:6 urges us to seek the Lord urgently while there is still time. If we put off pursuing Him, we may run out of time before we turn to Him in faith and repentance.
Isaiah 55:6 does not teach that God is unknowable or impossible to find outside of this lifetime. Rather, it warns that the opportunity to find salvation may be taken away if we do not seek Him now while we are able. Do not assume you can find God on your own terms whenever you wish. The time is short. Seek Him now while He has made the way of salvation plain through Jesus Christ.
The apostle Paul reflected this urgency when he declared:
“Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:2)
“We appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For he says, ‘In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.’ Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:1-2)
Paul understood the temporal nature of the opportunity to find God’s grace and did not want anyone to waste the opportunity and miss God’s salvation.
How to Seek the Lord While He May Be Found
If the opportunity to seek God is limited, how then should we seek Him while there is time? What does seeking the Lord look like in practical terms?
1. Repent of your sins – Turn away from wickedness and surrender your life to follow Jesus (Acts 3:19).
2. Believe in Jesus – Trust that He died for your sins and rose again, the only basis for forgiveness and salvation (John 3:16-18).
3. Pursue Him wholeheartedly – Seek the Lord with all your heart while you have the chance (Deuteronomy 4:29).
4. Strive to enter God’s rest – Work out your salvation in reverent fear (Hebrews 4:11, Philippians 2:12).
5. Draw near to God – Spend time in prayer, Bible study, worship, and obedience to grow closer to Him (James 4:8).
6. Persevere in the faith – Hold firmly until the end to your hope in Christ (Hebrews 3:14).
7. Bear spiritual fruit – Live out your faith with good works to grow in God (Matthew 7:19-20).
8. Use your spiritual gifts – Serve God and build up others in the church (1 Peter 4:10).
9. Share the gospel – Tell others about Christ while you still have time (2 Corinthians 5:20).
10. Wait eagerly for Christ’s return – Keep watch and be ready for His coming (Titus 2:13).
What Happens if We Don’t Seek Him in Time?
Isaiah 55:6 implies that there can be tragic consequences if we do not seek God while we have the opportunity. Here are some potential results if we do not seek Him in time:
– We may die without Christ and face eternal judgment rather than salvation after death (Hebrews 9:27).
– God may abandon us to our sins and give us over to debased minds since we rejected truth (Romans 1:28-32).
– The Lord may say “I never knew you” on judgment day if we did not pursue relationship with Him on earth (Matthew 7:23).
– We may seek God too late and end up weeping and gnashing our teeth for eternity when shut out of His kingdom (Luke 13:28).
– If we harden our hearts to God’s voice, we may drift beyond the point of no return and it becomes impossible to repent (Hebrews 6:4-6).
– By refusing salvation, we remain under God’s wrath and miss out on eternal joy in His presence (John 3:36, Psalm 16:11).
These warnings drive home the urgency of Isaiah 55:6. Our wisest choice by far is to seek God through Christ right away while we still have the opportunity. Tomorrow is not guaranteed.
God’s Desire for All to Be Saved
While the timeframe is limited, Isaiah 55:6 reveals the wide extent of God’s offer. He invites “everyone who thirsts” to come to the waters of salvation. God does not limit His invitation to a select few. He desires all to repent and be saved through faith in Christ:
“The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)
“God our Savior desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:3-4)
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
In His mercy, God stays His judgment to allow time for more sinners to come to repentance. But He will not wait forever. So we must seek Him now while He extends His offer of grace to all.
A Relationship, Not Just Forgiveness
It is important to understand that seeking the Lord involves more than just seeking forgiveness of sins. Isaiah 55:6 expresses the idea of seeking an intimate, personal relationship with God, not just seeking isolation from His wrath:
– “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you” (James 4:8)
– “Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually!” (1 Chronicles 16:11)
– “Now set your heart and your soul to seek the LORD your God” (1 Chronicles 22:19)
God’s greatest desire is for us to know Him deeply, not just to escape final judgment. Eternal life is about a loving relationship with our Creator. So we must seek Him wholeheartedly during our limited opportunity on earth.
A Warning Against Waiting for More “Convincing Signs”
Some people want more signs, miracles, or evidence of God before they will seek Him. But Isaiah 55:6 contains an implicit warning against this delay in light of the temporary nature of the opportunity. If we keep waiting for more convincing spiritual experiences before committing to really seek God, the door of salvation may close on us before we are ready.
We must be willing to seek Him now based on what He has already revealed. The time is short. He will not endlessly multiply signs for stubborn and rebellious people. Jesus said the people of his day would face condemnation for refusing to repent in response to the signs they had already received:
– “The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.” (Matthew 12:41)
– “The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.” (Matthew 12:42)
The people Jesus preached to saw incredible miracles and wisdom right in front of them yet refused to repent. Many people make the same mistake today by always demanding more signs from God instead of responding to what He has already revealed. Isaiah 55:6 warns us not to make this foolish choice.
God Will Not Always Strive with Us
Isaiah 55:6 recognizes a sobering spiritual reality: God will not always strive with man to turn from sin and unbelief. After extended resistance against Him, the time eventually comes when God ceases to actively work to bring that sinner to salvation. He gives the person over to their rebellion.
The book of Genesis provides a tragic example of this principle. God saw the wickedness of man increasing on the earth prior to the flood. Genesis 6:3 records God saying, “My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.”
Though God is patient, He will not strive endlessly with man. The Lord gave the people 120 years to repent before bringing floodwaters. But the window of opportunity closed because they refused to seek God in the time given.
Likewise, Isaiah 55:6 suggests that God is striving with listeners now to seek Him, but this active work will not go on forever. There comes a time when He ceases to pursue those who keep rejecting His voice. This is why seeking God requires urgency.
Conclusion
Isaiah 55:6 highlights a crucial truth for everyone. Our window of opportunity to seek God is limited. Today is the day of salvation. None of us are guaranteed more time. While He may be found, we must seek Him earnestly, trusting in Christ, repenting of sin, and drawing near in relationship to the Lord.
He promises abundant blessing and eternal salvation for all who come to Him while there is still time. But the clock is ticking. Let us heed the urgency of Isaiah 55:6 and pursue the Lord wholeheartedly now while He extends His offer of grace. Tomorrow may be too late.
