Isaiah 55:6-7 Seek the LORD while he may be found;
call on him while he is near.
Let the wicked forsake his way
and the evil man his thoughts.
Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him,
and to our God, for he will freely pardon.

The 55th chapter of Isaiah is so rich that it almost seems wrong to write on just part of it! For now, however, I will focus on the message of the evangelist. This is a wonderfully balanced presentation in these two verses. It starts by pointing out that the opportunity for salvation is a “limited time offer.” We only have the time that we are alive on this earth to respond to God’s invitation and receive His grace. It goes from there to the necessity of repentance. We must acknowledge that our actions and our thoughts are wrong, in rebellion against God, and turn away from them. It’s not enough to say, I am in the wrong, if you aren’t going to get right! This is where some churches today seem to really miss the boat. They focus so much on “God’s best for you” that they gloss over the fact that sin is sin, and God can’t tolerate it, so we can’t stay in it. Only with the call to repentance does Isaiah move on to God’s mercy and forgiveness. We do no one a favor if we talk about salvation without the context of sin and repentance. Even Christians are prone to enjoy worship and then live just like the unsaved people around them, excusing instead of hating sin. If we are to abide in Christ and His Word, we must indeed forsake unrighteousness. Such unrighteousness begins in our minds and hearts, which is why Paul spoke of “taking every thought captive.” (2 Corinthians 10:5) It is when we do that, that we walk in the abundant victory that God intends for us.

I’m as much at risk here as anyone, and my record is hardly spotless. Jesus made it clear that sins of the mind and heart are very real, using the specific examples of immorality (Matthew 5:28) and murder (Matthew 5:22). I must not indulge in thoughts that are less than Christlike! As a pastor, I am called to help others in their struggles as well. The advice of D. L. Moody is very helpful here. When a young man protested to him the impossibility of avoiding lustful thoughts, Moody said, “You can’t keep the birds from flying over your head, but you can keep them from building a nest in your hair.” For myself and for those to whom I minister, I must remember that the world and the devil throw impure thoughts at us all the time, but we are not to savor them. Some of them are very tasty to our flesh, but they are poisonous, and I must both remember that and help others understand it as well.

Father, You are bringing non-Christians to us, and I thank and praise You for that. Help us as a church body to welcome them indeed and communicate Your full Gospel to them, not glossing over the need for repentance out of a fear of losing them, but helping them be born again indeed, by repentance and faith, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!