Connect with the Creator

The 55th chapter of Isaiah is a beautiful scripture. It contains wonderful encouragement, marvelous promises, and some direct instructions. All these treasures are wrapped in word imagery that makes the heart sore. I suggest you read the chapter in its entirety. I will focus on a single section of the chapter and try to glean what the Spirit says, like a jeweler working on a single gem in a rich ring setting. 

The sixth verse in the chapter says, “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near.” When I read this verse, my first thought is, “Where is God going?” Is the God of the eternal promise, “He will never leave you nor forsake you,” going to break His word? Our God is not a promise-breaker. His word is true, and if He says He will not leave - He will not. But we still have to contend with the terms of Isaiah 55:6.

Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near.

There is a sense of urgency in the words. Seek now while the Lord may be found. Call to Him while He is near enough to hear. As I think through this statement, it becomes clear that it is impossible for God to hide from us. The evidence of God’s presence is all around us. One must only look at the earth and its majesty to understand the Creator is near. Even if sight is taken away, one can listen to the wonders of God’s mighty work. God is present in the sounds of crashing waves and thundering waterfalls. The bird’s song and rustling wildflowers all sound out God’s closeness. Take away the ability to hear; still, God can be felt in the soft furry coat of a bunny or the sensation of sand between your toes. God is evident to all our senses. But it is the spirit that knows God’s presence the best. God is spirit, and we, His children, are born of His Spirit. It is by the Spirit that we know God exists. Take away all natural senses, still, we know - He is here. 

Isaiah 55 is not speaking about the absence of God. The verse is not talking about God moving away from us. The next verse enlightens us on why one must seek God with urgency while He is near: 

“Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that He may have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.” 

Glory be to God! What an absolutely awesome promise! For those caught in trespasses, without human compassion or a pardon, there is One who stands ready to show compassion in abundance and pardon anything that has been done. It is God Almighty who indeed removes condemnation, who frees from the bondage of sin. 

But we must forsake our own way. We must be ready to leave behind our own sinful thoughts. God is willing to forgive. We must be prepared to turn to Him. The reason for urgency is that we lose sight of God and wander so far from our Lord that we believe that we cannot be heard. The sinner can be so overcome in sin as to be blind, deaf, dumb and unable to find any way out of where they have fallen. Their spirit has been scorched, and their heart hardened until even their spirit cannot touch God. 

But praise be to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It is our Lord who has carried the cross. He is the One, the only God, who has experienced a place of separation as great as any sinner has felt. Not due to His own transgression, but due to the transgression of the whole world, Jesus was separated from the Father - to the point of crying out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Jesus has been at that place where God was hard to find. The Lord entered that place of desperation to make a way out for us. Now we have a Savior familiar with our faults and understanding of the battle that rages in the human heart. He has made a way. He stands closer than you could ever imagine and waits.  He waits for us to acknowledge our need of salvation, to desire God’s pardon more than our own wicked ways.  Our Lord waits.

If you find yourself in a place of sinful desperation, not seeing God and believing He would never listen to your cries for help, turn. Your salvation is close, for your Savior is right by your side. Forsake your ways and put off your thoughts. God is near. He will hear, and He will abundantly pardon.