Isaiah
55:6-9 - Generosity of mercy to all
who return. In Sunday’s first reading, the prophet’s hearers are encouraged to
seek God and return to Him for mercy and pardon. God’s thoughts and ways are
totally different from ours. This truth is illustrated in today’s reading, the
parable of laborers in the vineyard.
If God were like the world, he would not take back his
enemies and freely pardon them. The world, rather, would seek revenge and treat
enemies with hatred. We, by our nature, do not love or seek reconciliation. We
hate and kill and never, never forgive. God is so different — thank God for
that!
Those who return to the Lord in
repentance will receive mercy and pardon. The same thought is echoed in the
much loved hymn, “Just as I Am” as
the hymn writer reminds us that the Lord will welcome, pardon, cleanse,
relieve.
If you ask God for forgiveness, can you be sure that
He grants it? What are the qualities to which God responds? With what urgency
should you seek Him? This passage presents one of the great assurances in the
Bible that God does hear and respond to sincere request for forgiveness.
Seek the Lord urgently. Our seeking must be "while he may be found . . . while He is near." God would not be God if He were no more than
a cosmic houseboy to be summoned at our whim. There are moments of time and windows of
opportunity when we must seek God. St. Paul insists, "now is the accepted time...now is the day of salvation." -2
Corinthians 6: 2
The assurance of our forgiveness rests in the
character of God Himself. To be God, He must stand true to His promise. We can be sure of seeking and finding
forgiveness.
God’s pardon and
forgiveness is:
Available to all
Abundant and free
Amazing and certain
Keep, we
pray O Lord, Your church with Your perpetual mercy. Because without You we
cannot but fall, keep us ever by Your help from all things hurtful, and lead us
to all things profitable.[1]
[1]
Collect for Proper 20, Lutheran Service Book © 2006 Concordia Publishing House,
St. Louis
Image Schnorr von Carolsfeld
woodcut "The Crucifixion" copyright © WELS used with permission for
personal and congregational use
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