It Is Time to Seek the Lord

The northern kingdom of Israel was in big trouble. Both the people and their leaders were corrupt. They gave lip service to God while living as if He didn’t exist or at least didn’t care. They had been called to repent time and time again, but they steadfastly refused.

The prophet Hosea was one of God’s sent ones who warned them of impending disaster, but he also offered a word of hope:  “Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, until he comes and showers his righteousness on you.” (Hosea 10:12)

Hosea uses farming imagery to show that repentance was still possible. He calls upon them to sow seeds of righteous. If they turned from disobedience and rebellion and chose instead to honor God with their lives, then they would realize a harvest of God’s unfailing love. Further, he tells them to break up the unplowed ground of their hearts. Their hearts were hard and couldn’t receive any seed in its current condition.

“It is time to seek the Lord.” For the people of Israel it was indeed time to seek the Lord. We might even say it was past time for God’s judgment was just months away. Truth be told, it was always time to seek the Lord. We do not have to wait until judgment is at the gates and the world is collapsing in on us.

Is that not our way? When things are going well, we tend to take God’s blessings for granted. We may even take God Himself for granted. Our prayers lose their fervency. Our Bible reading loses it urgency. Our worship becomes routine. And confession and repentance are ignored. Now is the time to seek the Lord.

Isaiah, a prophet to the southern kingdom of Judah, also understood the need to seek the Lord. He declared, “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near.” (Isaiah 55:6)

There is no better day than today. There is no better time than now. Revival waits to be revealed. It is time to seek the Lord.