June 28

Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near. - Isaiah 55:6.

WE may consider these words as a security from presumption, as well as an antidote to despair. They plainly hint that, though God is to be found, he is not always to be found. The awful decision of Solomon may be here appealed to: “They shall call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me;” “for that they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord.”

How is this intimation to be understood? First and principally, it regards the difference between time and eternity. The one is compared in the Scriptures to a way, and the other to an end; the one to seed time, the other to harvest; and the Apostle says, “God is not mocked! Whatsoever a man soweth shall he also reap; for he that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.” It is upon this principle Solomon says, “Whatsoever thine hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might, for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave whither thou goest.”

There is no throne of grace in hell. But there is an inferior illustration of this principle to be found even with regards the present life itself. In this view, what a period is youth! Then the body enjoys its health and strength, the mind its activity and sprightliness, the memory its retention, the affections their tenderness, the conscience its sensibility. Note for the most part, they are free from the cares which, if they live, will embarrass, and the troubles which will vex them in their future life. Everything, therefore, unites to call upon them to “remember now their Creator,” and to “seek the Lord” “in the days of their youth.” Hence God says, “they that seek me early shall find me.”

So shall others seek him; but there must be an emphasis in the promise; and the meaning is, that if others attain the same things, they will not attain to them in the same measure and degree, while there are many things which they never can attain if they seek him later, for there are many honours, many pleasures, many opportunities for usefulness, which are peculiar to those who seek and serve the Lord in their youth. What a period, in this view, is the Sabbath. How many have sought and found the Lord then-a day for the soul, a day for eternity, a day for God: a day in which we are drawn back from the world’s concerns, and have an opportunity more expressly to wait upon God. Much has been said, and much improperly said, of a day of grace. And though while there is life there is hope, for

“Life is the time to serve the Lord,

The time to ensure the great reward,

And while the lamp holds out to burn,

The vilest sinner may return,”

yet it must be allowed that there are periods of a more propitious nature than others, when the attention is excited, the heart softened, and the conscience roused. Such is the season of affliction. Then not only the word of God, but the providence of God, says, “Call upon me in the day of trouble.” This is the design of the trouble, as it is also the tendency of it. We naturally seek assistance when we are in straits and difficulties. God therefore says, “I will go and return to my place till they acknowledge me and seek me, for in their affliction they will seek me early.”

Lastly, There are some who have sought and found the Lord in the highest and most exalted manner; all, indeed, who really seek him find him here; but not according to David, when he said, “As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake up in thy likeness.” Oh, there are many who have realised this. They sought him here on earth, and now they serve him in heaven, and they see his face, and they wear his name upon their foreheads.