By David ReayThursday 14 Dec 2017LifeWords DevotionalsFaithReading Time: 0 minutes
Transcript:
Read Isaiah 55:6
6 Seek the Lord while he may be found,
call upon him while he is near; (NRSV)
This verse can be misleading. It seems clear enough: it is now, in our mortal life, that we seek God. One day it will be too late. So get seeking!
However, that is only one side of the picture. Jesus reminds us that God is like a good shepherd who goes looking for lost sheep. We might seek God, but only because God has first come seeking us. If this wasn’t true, we would have no chance of finding him. God has to take the initiative.
Perhaps we best read this verse as advising us to allow ourselves to be found by this searching God. We don’t have to frantically run off in search of a blessing. It is not as if God is playing hide-and-seek with us. It is not as if God can only be found if we work hard enough or try hard enough or believe hard enough.
It may be best for some of us to simply take a break, to pause, to be still. This stillness can take the form of quiet reflection, corporate worship, praying whilst walking, contemplating certain music or artwork, Bible reading. We are allowing God to find us. Which is quite logical given that he is already looking for us.
It is true we are to seek God, but part of that seeking is allowing ourselves to be found by the one who started the seeking in the first place.
Blessings
David Reay