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I. First, then, there is A TIME MENTIONED. "If from thence thou shalt seek the Lord...When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee even in the latter days."

1. The time in which the Lord bids you seek Him, O you unforgiven ones, is, first of all, "from thence" — that is, from the condition into which you have fallen, or the position which you now occupy. Today, even today, He bids you seek Him "with all your heart and with all your soul."

2. With regard to the time of turning, it is well worthy of our notice that we are specially encouraged to turn unto the Lord if we are in a painful plight. Our text says, "When thou art in tribulation." Are you sick? Does your weakness increase upon you? Are you apprehensive that this sickness may even be unto death? When thou art in such tribulation, then thou mayest return to Him. A sick body should lead us the more earnestly to seek healing for our sick soul. Are you poor, have you come down from a comfortable position to one of hard labour and of scant provision? When thou art in this tribulation, then turn to the Lord, for He has sent thee this need to make thee see thy yet greater necessity, even thy need of Himself.

3. Notice further, when you feel that the judgments of God have begun to overtake you, then you may come to Him: "When thou art in tribulation and all these things" - these threatened things - "are come upon thee."

4. There is yet one more word which appears to me to contain great comfort in it, and it is this, "even in the latter days." It is a beautiful sight, though it is mingled with much sadness, to see a very old man become a babe in Christ — to see him, after he has been so many years the proud, wayward, self-confident master of himself, at last learning wisdom and sitting at Jesus feet. They hang up in the cathedrals and public halls old banners which have long been carried by the enemy into the thick of the fight. If they have been torn by shot and shell, so much the more do the captors value them: the older the standard the more honour is it, it seems, to seize it as a trophy.

II. But now look at THE WAY APPOINTED. To find mercy, "what are we bidden to do? "If from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God."

1. We have not, then, to bring anything to God, but to seek Him. We have not to seek a righteousness to bring to Him, nor seek a state of heart which will fit us for Him, but to seek Him at once. Salvation is not by doing, nor by being, nor by feeling, but simply by believing. We are not to be content with self, but to seek the Lord. Being ourselves unworthy, we are to find worthiness in Jesus.

2. We are also to grasp the Lord as ours, for the text says, "Thou shalt seek the Lord thy God." Sinners, that is a part of saving faith, to take God to be your God; if He is only another man's God, He cannot save you; He must be yours to trust and love and serve all your days, or you will be lost.

3. Now, mark God's directions — "If thou seek Him with all thy heart and with all thy soul." There must be no pretence about this seeking. If you desire to be saved, there must be no playing and trifling and feigning. The search must be real, sincere, and earnest, intense, thorough going, or it will be a failure.

4. The text further adds that we are to turn to Him. Did you notice the 30th verse — "If thou turn to the Lord thy God"? It must be a thorough turn. You are looking now towards the world — you must turn in the opposite direction, and look Godward. It must not be an apparent turn, but a real change of the nature, a turning of the entire soul; a turning with repentance for the past, with confidence in Christ for the present, and with holy desires for the future. Heart, soul, life, speech, action, all must be changed.

5. Then it is added, "and be obedient to His voice," for we cannot be saved in disobedience; Christ is not come to save His people in their sins, but from their sins.

III. Thirdly, the text contains VERY RICH ENCOURAGEMENTS. How does it run?

1. "For the Lord thy God is a merciful God; He will not forsake thee." Catch at that, sinner, — "He will not forsake thee." If He were to say, "Let him alone, Ephraim is given unto idols," it would be all over with you; but if you seek Him, He will not say, "Let him alone," nor take His Holy Spirit from you. You are not yet given up, I hope, or you would not have been here.

2. And then it is added, "Neither destroy thee." You have been afraid He would; you have often thought the earth would open and swallow you: you have been afraid to fall asleep lest you should never wake again; but the Lord will not destroy you; nay, rather He will reveal His saving power in you.

3. There is a sweeter word still in the 29th verse, "Thou shalt find Him if thou seek Him." What more, poor sinner, what more dost thou want?

4. Then there are two reasons given: "For the Lord thy God is a merciful God." Oh guilty soul, the Lord does not want to destroy you. Judgment is His strange work. Oh soul, God has such a care for man. He waits to be gracious, and His Spirit goes forth towards sinners; therefore return to Him.

5. Now dwell upon that last argument - "He will not forget the covenant of thy fathers." The covenant always keeps open the path between God and man. The Lord has made a covenant concerning poor sinners with His Son Jesus Christ. He has laid help upon One that is mighty, and given Him for a covenant to the people. He evermore remembers Jesus, and how He kept that covenant; He calls to mind His sighs and death throes, and He fulfils His promise for the great Sufferer's sake. God's grace has kept His covenant on the behalf of men; God is even. eager, to forgive, that He may reward Christ, and give Him to see of the travail of His soul.

( C. H. Spurgeon.)

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KJV: But 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.

WEB: But from there you shall seek Yahweh your God, and you shall find him, when you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.