It is time to seek the Lord.
As we enter into the first month of 2012 let us, for sometime, consider what all we have achieved till today. We have spent a considerable part of our lives in pursuit of success and happiness. Our parents have given us a good education and after that it has been one big race where we find a good job, a good wife, a family, house, all the stuff that goes into making a house a home… We may have achieved all these and now we feel that we are justified in ‘taking a break’ and enjoying life. How many of us have spent a considerable amount of time in the Lord’s presence, meditating on His word?

In the book of Hosea, we find the prophet warning the people of Israel, we see not only the message of Jehovah being Israel’s constant loving husband preached, but acted out in flesh and blood. The prophet is commanded to marry an adulterous woman, Gomer by name. Three children were born to them. The woman went on in her adulterous behavior as before. This is a picture of Israel who goes after other gods, time and time again, ignoring the Redeemer. Because the love of Elohim for His people does not change and His holy character remains constant, Yahweh is willing to accept his erring children back to His fold, when they repent. The more Israel became great in national wealth and military power the more she builds altars to Baal and other gods. Idols stood at every street corner!

As a result Hosea tells us in the opening verses of chapter 10 that Israel’s heart was divided, faithless and deceitful. Hosea warns of the coming judgment and displeasure of Elohim. In verse twelve Hosea tells Israel it is time for them to seek Yahweh so  that He might hear their prayer and see the evidence of their sincerity and rain His righteous blessing upon them rather than judgment. Like Israel I believe Elohim is telling us today that ‘It is Time to seek the Lord’.
Hos. 10:12. “Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.”

Seek the Lord:
Isaiah 55:6 “Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near.”
Psalm 34:10 “The young lions lack and suffer hunger; but those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing.”
Deuteronomy 4:29 “seek the Yahweh your Elohim, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul.”
This is a warning to the lost to take advantage of this opportunity to be saved while Elohim is near, for Elohim will have mercy upon him and will abundantly pardon him. Thus, if you will seek the LORD while He may be found, if you will call upon Him while He is near, if you will forsake your wicked ways, He will have mercy on you, He will abundantly pardon you. Elohim would not have given us this promise if he had no intention of saving sinners. Why does He warn the wicked? If our destruction was His desire, He would remain silent and bring judgment upon the unsuspecting. But we read in John.3:16,’ For Elohim so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’
Seeking the Lord is to set Him as the Supreme Authority of everything in your life and the object of all your desires. We have to surrender our lives totally to Messiah and let the Holy Spirit lead us in all our ways. Anything less than a total surrender would mean that we are committed to the world and its’ pleasures.

We go to church but once the service is over we are back to our worldly ways. We go but we do not grow. We are not really interested in sacrificing some of our interests for the things of the Lord. Going to church on a Sunday has become just a formality. On Sunday, we’re vigorous and full of noble thoughts, but on Monday, we are no different from anyone else on the street. We have no evidence of the fruit of the Spirit in our lives.

Obey Elohim :
Hosea tells Israel to break up the fallow ground. Fallow ground is ground that hasn’t been plowed for a long time. It is ground that is hard and stubborn, seeds will not take root there. There is no point in sowing seed on fallow ground because it is hard and compact and does not want to accept the seed. But it must be broken up because if you do not get the seed in the ground there can be no harvest. In the same way we should prepare our lives to accept the word of the Lord. Break up the fallow ground of your hearts, which were like untouched ground, unbroken, not filled and manured, nor sown with seed, but overrun with weeds and thorns without grace, and full of sin and wickedness.
                                                                                                                                             
Absolute obedience is a prerequisite for possessing the promises. What Elohim wants and expects is absolute obedience to the will and Word of Elohim.
Deuteronomy 26:16-17 “This day the Yahweh your Elohim commands you to observe these statutes and judgments; therefore you shall be careful to observe them with all your heart and with all your soul. Today you have proclaimed Yahweh to be your Elohim, and that you will walk in His ways and keep His statutes, His commandments, and His judgments, and that you will obey His voice.”

The time is running out:
Time passes by so quickly and opportunities pass away.
2 Cor.6:2 “For He says: "In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you." Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”
The greatest hindrance is a lack of urgency. We do not see hells’ fire around the corner. A sense of urgency is that feeling that lets you know yesterday is gone forever, tomorrow never comes. Today is in your hands. Postponing today’s task will add to wasted yesterdays and to tomorrow’s burden. The sense of urgency makes you to accomplish what is set before you today.

Deut.30:19’ ...I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life that both thou and thy seed may live:’