Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.
- Isaiah 55:6
This anchor scripture implies, rather than suggest, that there is a valid time to seek God. When this time is not adhered to, one might not have the privilege of His divine presence. In this post, we are going to examine what it means to seek God early, as this may be related to a few different scenarios.
First of all, we take a case study of a man who tried several means to seek God's face, but God was far away and could not attend to him.
6 And when Saul enquired of the Lord, the Lord answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.
I Samuel 28:6
Before this event, King Saul had disobeyed God's instruction to utterly destroy the Amalekites and all their belongings. This caused God to rend the kingdom of Israel out of his hands. The time came when the Philistines came waging war against Israel and Saul thought to inquire of God how he would overcome the enemies. However, God could not be found of him.
This is a practical biblical example of seeking God when He cannot be found. Proverbs 8:17 says ...those that seek me early shall find me. So what exactly does it mean to seek God early, and when can He be found?
Early in the morning
Seeking God early in the morning could be a time of personal devotion, or quiet time, alone with God. It is a time of communion with the Father, before the beginning of daily activities, noise, distractions, work, and so on. Jesus, who is our perfect example, recognized the potency of seeking God in the early hours of the day.
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.
- Mark 1:35
Before the Day of Trouble
An athlete prepares and does intensive training long before his competition . A student as well studies in advance while he prepares for an examination. Any of these people who fails to prepare in advance is likely to fail in that endeavour. Likewise, seeking God should not be only when you are helpless, in trouble, or under attack. Seeking God should be a lifestyle. In the day of trouble, King Hezekiah cried to God, making reference to how he has served diligently in times of peace and plenty.
And said, Remember now, O Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.
- Isaiah 38:3
As a Youth
A man's youthful days are not meant to live a careless and carefree life, but it is a period to sow seeds of greatness into the future, so as to find rest at old age. The knowledge, insights, and relationships you build in the days of your youth will go a long way in moulding your future.
Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;
- Ecclesiastes 12:1
The days of your youth is an early period to seek God, and a time when He can be found. Remember that when there is peace, joy, sound health, and general wellbeing, that's the exact time to seek God, because He can be found. Do not wait for when you're in trouble. Then, He may not be found, especially when you have dipped your hands in sin, which is a reproach to God.
