| Christian Life and Doctrine | May 1950 |
“Time To Seek the Lord”
“Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord.” —Hosea 10:12
THESE words were spoken to Israel, which was then divided into two camps: the ten tribe kingdom referred to as Israel, and the two tribe kingdom known as Judah. While, no doubt, the prophecy of Hosea has particular application to the nominal spiritual house of Israel, the words of our text are fitting and timely to all the Lord’s consecrated children at this end of the age; for truly, in the time remaining of our lives, we should strain every nerve in seeking the Lord and his favor. This same lesson is conveyed to us by the Apostle Peter, where he writes,
“Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries.” (I Pet. 4:1-3) No, indeed, we cannot live the rest of our time following the excesses of the world or even emulating its spirit of bitterness and strife in any degree whatsoever.
Before we entered this consecrated life to suffer in the flesh with Christ, we, at least in a measure, partook of this world’s spirit. Perhaps we were inclined toward merrymaking; or perhaps we sought after its idols of riches, fame, or worldly knowledge. Perhaps we sought first our own comforts and the satisfying of our own desires; or perhaps we imbibed in the intoxicating wines of politics, philosophy, or false religion; or cherished animosity in our hearts against certain ones or groups, letting its rapidly growing roots absorb the goodness and mercy we might have possessed. Or possibly we permitted cruel jealousy to have fire course in our lives, or dissipated our veneration on the shrines of men rather than on God.
In some or in all of these ways we were tainted with the corruption that is in the world because of sin. Was not the time past of our lives, while we were yet in the “horrible pit” and the “miry clay,” sufficient to demonstrate to us the vanity and contemptibleness of living under the influence of this world’s spirit? (Psa. 40:2) But now that manner of living is in the past and we have the precious and priceless opportunity of doing the will of our Father who is in heaven.
Lest, however, under our fervor of now having the privilege of serving the Lord, we forget to prepare our minds and hearts for the struggle ahead, Peter adds, “Arm yourselves likewise with the same mind [the mind of Christ].” We are to “arm” ourselves with the knowledge that Christ, our Forerunner, suffered in the flesh; hence we must suffer also. We are also to “arm” ourselves with the knowledge that each of us “should live the rest of his time … to the will of God.” It seems that suffering and time are two elements that we should consider in this good warfare.
We are reminded frequently in the Scriptures concerning the sufferings that would be the portion of the saints. It was necessary for our Lord to suffer and then to enter into his glory. His suffering was pictured in the tabernacle sacrifices on the day of atonement, where the bullock was slain and his fat burned upon the brazen altar, while the body of that animal was taken without the camp and burned. The burning without the camp showed how the world viewed our Lord’s sacrifice—it was a reproach to them and a stench to their nostrils. (Lev. 16:25,27) Also as the brazen serpent was lifted up in the wilderness by Moses, so our Lord was to be “lifted up.” (Num. 21:9; II Kings 18:4; John 3:14) It was prophesied of Jesus that he would be “forsaken” by his God and that he would be a “reproach of men, and despised of the people.” (Psa. 22:1,6,7) He was to be “wounded for our transgressions,” “bruised for our iniquities,” and the “chastisement of our peace” was to be upon him.—Isa. 53:5
As Christ suffered in the flesh, even so, the church is to “fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ.” (Col. 1:24) At the very beginning of our discipleship we are told, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” (Matt. 16:24) As many as are “baptized into Jesus Christ” are “baptized into his death.” We are “planted together in the likeness of his death, … that our old man” might be “crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” (Rom. 6:3-6) We are forewarned also that “all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” (II Tim. 3:12) So, with these and many other scriptures we should “arm” ourselves with the knowledge that suffering and self-denial lie ahead of us, for it is written “that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.”—Acts 14:22
As Christians we have been told that if we faithfully follow Jesus’ footsteps we shall be called upon to suffer, and we have prepared our minds and hearts and have steeled our nerves for it. If we have done this, we have done that which is fitting and proper as soldiers of the cross. However, sometimes in arming ourselves for the hardships, we forget to prepare for the rest of our “time” in the flesh.
Time is an element we do well to take into consideration if we hope ultimately to reach the heavenly city. We all, of course, live in the present. The future, except for the prophecies of the Scriptures, is veiled and unknown to us. The past quickly fades from our poor, fallen, and imperfect minds, and only certain features or occurrences are remembered, and those in proportion to the extent that they were impressed upon our minds when they occurred. For this reason, it is so easy to fail to get the proper perspective of our consecrated lifetime.
To the young man or woman in this world, possessing the strength, health, and vitality which accompanies youth, it is difficult to view life or the time of life from an objective standpoint. The young man, perhaps, glories in his strength, his physical agility, and his mental alertness, little realizing how vain that glory is; for how soon the tide of life begins to ebb away, his strength is diminished, he leans heavily upon a cane, and has a hard time remembering where he left his glasses. How soon the grave begins to beckon him, and life’s journey finds its end. What, then, happened to the glory that crowned his youth? Ah, it withered away, being empty, shallow, and transitory.
Likewise, the young woman, perhaps, might feel inclined to glory in her beauty and her popularity. How soon, however, she passes the flower of her youth and the silver hairs appear, and with that, as is often the case, she becomes the forgotten and neglected person. What once gave satisfaction and supposed joy passes from her life. Well has the apostle treated upon this matter saying, “For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away.”—I Pet. 1:24
It is because poor, fallen humanity do not view life from the proper perspective that they content themselves with the vanities of this life. They seek to eke out of the present all the excitement and merrymaking they can, and when that becomes impossible, they like to recollect the highlights of the past time of their lives and, of course, all the while shun the future. If they could but get the proper viewpoint of their time of life they would quickly conclude with the wise man that “all is vanity.” Moreover, they would seek to enrich their lives with more substantial hopes and loftier ambitions. They would take less time in finding out that the whole duty of man is to “fear God, and keep his commandments.”—Eccles. 12:8,13
We are not of the world, nor do we view life in the fashion that those of the world do; but still there is danger that we might not have the proper perspective of our Christian life, or, once having it, we let it slip from our mind. Hence, our prayer should be as was David’s, “Lord, make me to know mine end, arid the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know what time I have here.” (Psa. 39:4; margin) We do not understand this to mean that David desired to know the exact date of his death, but rather that he might consider the end of life’s walk and what it will mean, and thus realizing the shortness of his life to focus his attention upon serving and pleasing the Lord. A similar thought is expressed in Psalm 90:12, which reads, “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”
We do not understand that to know the “measure” of our days, or to “number” our days, implies any disposition to borrow tomorrow’s troubles; for the Master taught, “Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” (Matt. 6:34) Each day of our lives will contain enough experiences so that we need not add tomorrow’s cares to our daily burden. If we properly “number our days” we will consider each day as the hymn so beautifully expresses it, “One more day’s work for Jesus, one less of life for me! But heaven is nearer, and Christ is dearer than yesterday, to me; … Lord, if I may, I’ll serve another day!”
The Apostle Paul desired that all the consecrated should have the proper perspective of the time of their lives—that it was limited. Hence, he wrote, “But this I say, brethren, the time [the time of life] is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none; and they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not; and they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away.”—I Cor. 7:29-31
Consider how very short is the opportunity which we, as individuals, possess. Deduct from the brief span of life the years before we came to a knowledge of the truth and consecrated ourselves to the service of God; also the declining years of life, when sight grows dim and physical strength is abated. Consider also the time and strength which must be expended in providing things needful for the temporal wants of ourselves and those dependent upon us. To all of this add the necessary hours spent in sleeping and eating, and even with the greatest economy of time, how little is left! Truly “the time is short”!
Realizing that there is no time to waste, in what manner should we conduct ourselves in order to best serve and please the Lord? The apostle counsels that “they that have wives be as though they had none.” He did not mean to imply that marital relationships should be annulled among the consecrated, but rather, his exhortation was for them to tough as lightly as possible all such earthly relationships, seeking more and more to set their affections upon heavenly things. The idea of consecrating one’s life to the service of God and then going on year after year loading ourselves with cares and responsibilities of an earthly character which, when once incurred, we dare not shirk, and which with increasing and necessary demands will require more and more of our time, thought, care, and attention, is very incongruous with the true Christian life. We can only successfully concentrate upon one thing, so choose we must. Happy are we if our choice is as was the apostle’s, who said, “This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”—Phil. 3:13,14
The apostle further counsels that those who “weep” be “as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not.” We have, in common with all mankind, causes of an earthly character for both weeping and rejoicing; but we should not allow either joy or sorrow to unfit us for our work, nor detract from our interest and effort in it. We should carry on the work of the church so perseveringly that one looking on would not recognize that we had either rejoiced or sorrowed after the manner common to man.
However, we may always rejoice in the Spirit because of the heavenly joy that is set before us, and also in the realization that in due time the “ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads.” (Isa. 35:10) Those who acquire houses and lands, or riches of any earthly nature, should remember that they have consecrated their all to the Lord, and that the possessions are not really theirs, but the Lord’s, and that they must give an account for that which the Lord has entrusted to their stewardship. If once thoroughly awake to the fact that every acquirement is the Lord’s and not their own it would free such from the many snares to which they are subject—“which while some coveted after, they have been seduced from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”—I Tim. 6:10, margin
With the proper perspective on the shortness of life’s span it becomes easier to “use this world, as not abusing it,” for we realize the “fashion of this world passeth away.” We have a new hope and a new goal before us and should seek at every cost to make our calling and election sure. While we will provide things honest, neat, and comfortable for our temporal well-being, after that is taken care of we will give the matter no further thought, remembering only that “it is time to seek the Lord.”
Because the time in which to seek the Lord is short the Apostle Paul was not remiss in instructing what would be the wise course for us to pursue. His words are, “Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” (Eph. 5:16) He also writes, “Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.” (Col. 4:5) This seems to signify buying back the time, as though the time were already mortgaged. And this is so. The cares of this life—its necessities, the customs of this world, our fallen tendencies—would, if permitted, absorb every hour of our time, whereas, our life, our all, is dedicated to the King of kings and the Lord of lords.
Where may we obtain the necessary time wherewith to study and to refresh ourselves in rehearsing the blessings, the promises, and the favors which are ours as new creatures? Where may we obtain the time for telling these good tidings to others? We must of necessity buy back or redeem the time that we had previously spent for worldly things. No longer will we study the writings of men for entertainment, for a pastime, or merely to satisfy idle curiosity. No longer will the cares of this life be the dry sponge that absorbs the stream of our lifetime. No longer will the customs of this world set the style to our manner of life. No longer will we take time to pamper our fallen appetites and tendencies. In this manner we may redeem or buy back the time that we had previously spent for worldly things, henceforth spending such time in the interests of the new creature and in the service of the Lord.
Besides the fact that the time of life is short, even if we fill the allotted “threescore years and ten,” these “perilous times” in which we live should help us realize even more the shortness of time before us in which to prove ourselves “more than conquerors.” (Psa. 90:10; Rom. 8:37) Everywhere we see the evidences that the dissolution of the world is taking place. Fear and uncertainty cover the earth, and naturally so, because all can see that the arm of flesh is not able to hold back the flood waters of human selfishness and hatred which are rising constantly. Nor can the people quell their fears with the false hope that the Lord will intervene to stay the threatening destruction, for he will only stay it until “the servants of our God” are sealed “in their foreheads.”—Rev. 7:3
While the final phase of trouble is being held back by divine power, we should especially appreciate this extended opportunity to “make our calling and election sure” and account that for us “the long-suffering of our Lord is salvation.” (II Pet. 1:10; 3:15) It becomes increasingly necessary to “redeem the time” in devoting ourselves more fully to the Lord and his service. Our normal lifetime is short, hence we cannot afford to waste any of our consecrated hours. And now even the little time that we might normally have had will be made shorter by the impending world destruction. Much more, therefore, do we need to hasten our steps toward the heavenly city. The knowledge of the fact that our deliverance “draweth nigh” should spur us on to greater zeal and faithfulness.—Luke 21:28
It is difficult for the mind to comprehend time. Because this is so, that which occurs suddenly, or in a short period of time, is easily noticed, whereas the same development over a longer period of time often passes unnoticed. For instance, a man running in a long distance race would notice it quickly if he were to slow down his pace within a minute’s time; but if he slowed down his running pace over a period of thirty minutes, he might not realize his variance in speed. The same principle holds true with those who are running for the prize of the high calling. It might be easy to run for a while at a good steady pace, and few slow down all at once. Rather, the tendency is gradually to slow down our running, hence we do not notice the change, thinking we are still running well, whereas our speed of progress might be very much diminished.
The Christian test is not one simply of “well doing” but “patient continuance in well doing.” (Rom. 2:7) How often we find those who “endure” for a while; who “run well” for a while; who “suffer” for a while; who “watch and pray” for a while; who “rejoice” for a while, who are “faithful” for a while. But soon time begins to show its effects in their lives. Gradually, and almost imperceptibly, these begin to slacken up in their running for the prize; gradually they drawback from suffering and sacrifice, not deliberately, but with seemingly justifiable reason; gradually they find less time for prayer and much less for watching the Lord’s hand in their lives, or for watching the times and seasons, or for even watching themselves; gradually the heavenly joy is diminished, and perhaps supplanted with some human happiness which makes the change less noticeable. Thus gradually their faithfulness is lessened, and they become “weary in well doing.”—Gal. 6:9
Because some have not “armed” their minds to meet the tests that time puts’ upon them, they are soon defeated in their Christian warfare. They fail to get the proper perspective of this present life and also fail to focus their mind upon the eternity of blessing promised to the faithful overcomers, hence before long their conflicts and trials seem endless, the suffering great, the opposition too strong, their efforts unavailing, and they faint in their minds. Without realizing why, perhaps, they find themselves drawing back from the altar of sacrifice, looking back, possibly, with a sigh for the things behind—just a little more ease, just a little more comfort, and oh, just a little more rest. The Adversary is quick then to bring subtle temptations into the mind; pleasing allurements with a show of righteousness are held out to the fleshly mind, which, when indulged in, quickly “quench” the Spirit. (I Thess. 5:19) Thus, without realizing the dangers, the new man sits down to rest, and sometimes while resting, dies.
The apostle foresaw the danger in not being properly conscious of time—both the brevity of life and the “times and seasons” so he writes, “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.” (Rom. 13:11,12) The knowledge of the fact that we are living at the time when there is still an opportunity of so “great salvation” should spur us on to greater faithfulness. Our reasoning should be like the apostle’s in this matter, when he said, “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?” (Heb. 2:3) Further, the knowledge of the fact that this opportunity of having “so great salvation” is fast drawing to its close should energize us in “redeeming the time”—else we will be among those who stand without, saying, “Lord, Lord, open to us,” when it will be forever too late. (Matt. 25:11) Also, by having the proper perspective on the time of life, we will be able at the close of each day to say with the apostle, “Now is our salvation nearer than when we [first] believed.”—Rom. 13:11
With our minds properly armed, it will not be so difficult to stand the test that time brings to bear upon all the followers of the Master. We will be fully awake to our glorious privileges, seeking with all our hearts to serve and please the Lord. We will be able to look at our trials and self-denials as light afflictions. Nor will they seem endless and unbearable, for the time is short—only as a moment when compared to the “eternal weight of glory.”—II Cor. 4:17
“It is time to seek the Lord,” and as our text suggests, the proper course for us to pursue is “sow” to ourselves in “righteousness, reap in mercy,” and to “break up” our “fallow ground.” None of the Lord’s followers can afford to sow otherwise, for “God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”—Gal. 6:7,8
But some may ask, “What will such a sowing to ourselves in righteousness mean?” It will mean that the Lord’s people, the new creation, will study the subject of justice continually, and daily put into practice the lessons inculcated in the divine Word. All the saints must be the foes of sin. Wherever sin is they must wage a warfare against it, and see to it that in their hearts, at least, they are free from sin, that in their hearts they do not countenance sin, but oppose it. Sin should find no harboring place or sympathy in their hearts. It will mean that the words of their mouths, their conduct of life, and the meditations of their hearts—all of these—shall be in absolute accord with the divine Word and its spirit of righteousness, holiness, truthfulness, and purity. In a word, the apostle outlined the pattern for our thoughts, saying, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”—Phil. 4:8
We are told to “break up” the “fallow” ground, that is, to till or cultivate our freshly plowed heart-soil. In this figure, the mind is likened to a newly plowed field which has not been tilled or cultivated sufficiently for the planting of seed. We might think of this plowing of the heart-soil as representing or picturing our consecration—the complete turning over of our hearts from the service of sin to the service of righteousness. The old mind or disposition having been “buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” (Rom. 6:4) The “newness of life” becomes ours to develop, to cultivate, and to sow with righteousness.
There is danger in not cultivating and properly planting the ‘”fallow” soil of our hearts. Where we fail to cultivate and plant righteousness the Adversary is sure to take advantage of the dormant condition and plant evil thoughts and suggestions which, once they take root in the mind, spread rapidly, and to the injury and sorrow of the new creature. Also, we will find the fleshly desires cropping up in the uncultivated corners of our heart-soil, absorbing our time, vitality, and attention, and decreasing the opportunity to glorify our Heavenly Father by failing to bear “much fruit”—the fruit of the Spirit.—John 15:8
If we are to “reap in mercy”—or as Rotherham renders it, “Reap … at the bidding of loving-kindness”—we must first grow an abundant yield of love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance. Happy are we if we do these things, for then we will be able to reap or receive “an hundredfold” blessing in this life, notwithstanding the additional inheritance of “everlasting life.” (Matt. 19:29) How rich and blessed indeed is the life that is lived in conformity to the pattern exemplified in our Lord.
The greater our present losses and sacrifices, the greater our spiritual blessings and rewards, both now and hereafter. The faithful will find that for each self-denial and sacrifice they will receive a far outweighing blessing from the Lord, which will enable them to say with the wise man, “The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.” (Prov. 10:22) However, those who sacrifice nothing should expect no reward; and further, those who receive little from the Lord in the present life and have small hope of a share in the kingdom are those who have sacrificed little for his sake.
While the “time is short,” there is still “time to seek the Lord.” “If from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.” (Deut. 4:29) We cannot afford to waste the moments, the hours, and the days, much less the weeks and months. A wholehearted effort must be made to “redeem” the time, cutting to the minimum degree our earthly affairs and relationships, all the while augmenting to the maximum the spiritual interests and the service of the truth. With the aid of the Lord’s Holy Spirit, we should be able always to keep the proper perspective of the time of life before the mind’s eye, fully aware of the fact that our “deliverance” is drawing nigh, and hence giving “diligence” to make our “calling and election sure” as well as to finish the work he has given us to do.—II Pet. 1:10
When we come to the end of life’s journey, where the trials and tears will have their end, where every earthly tie will be broken, and all of life’s possessions behind us, ah, then will our past life of suffering and sacrifice which took place in filling up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ, appear to us a most wise and precious course! Having sown to the Spirit in our lifetime our personal harvest will not be corruption as the world’s, but life everlasting. We shall have accumulated great treasures in heaven and hence shall have ministered to us an abundant entrance “into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,” there to receive the “crown of glory that fadeth not away.” (II Pet. 1:11; I Pet. 5:4) Whereas those of the world, no matter how great they might have been in human eyes, as poor beggars shall they be interred into the grave, there to wait until they hear the voice of the Son of Man calling them from the tomb in order that he might extend mercy unto them.—John 5:28,29
Indeed “it is time to seek the Lord,” and we should give no uncommon care in husbanding our time in order to serve the highests of our souls. The poet has beautifully pictured this thought with these words:
“No time to linger by the way,
No time for ease, no time for play;
No time for earthly loves or joys,
No time for worldly cares or toys—
The time, my soul, is short!“No time to murmur or complain,
No time to heed the heart’s dull pain;
No time for tears or mournful song,
No time to ask, How far? How long?—
The time, my soul, is short!“Ah, yes! ‘tis short—yet time enough
To run thy course, so steep and rough;
Just time to reap ‘the fields,’ so white,
Before the coming of ‘the night’—
Just time, my soul, just time!“Just time to make thy heart more pure,
Just time to make thy ‘calling sure,’
Just time to enter through ‘the door,’
To reign with Christ forever more—
Just time, my soul, just time!”