Isaiah 55 Study: Call Upon Him While He Is Near

Seek the Lord while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near. - Isaiah 55:6

We’re continuing our verse-by-verse study of Isaiah 55. In verses 1-5, God invites not just Israel but all nations, all who thirst, to come and eat what is good. That is, anyone who is continual emptiness, seeking what only He can truly satisfy. 

Verse 6 marks a shift – a personal appeal from God to Israel, filled with urgency: seek Him now. His covenant promise is extended, but it requires a response. We must move toward Him. 

When the Bible repeats something, it’s never random – it’s intentional. Here in verse 6, God says the same thing two ways: “Seek the Lord” and “call upon Him.” This repetition emphasizes our role in the covenant – we must respond.

It’s impossible to know God if we don't interact with Him, or be close if we never take the time to learn about Him. So, how do we seek Him? 

How Do We Seek the Lord?

The word “seek” (darash in Hebrew) specifically references searching in prayer and worship. This isn’t a prayer tossed in the wind out of frustration –  “where are You, God?” This kind of seeking is joined in prayer. And the truth is, we can’t worship two things at once.

What we worship is what we seek for our satisfaction. When we’re thirsty, spiritually, emotionally or physically, we run to whatever or whoever we worship the most to satisfy our needs. 

How Do We Call Upon God?

The second half of the verse uses another Hebrew word: qara – meaning to summon a person. Here, we’re not just generally reaching; we’re summoning God personally. He is the object of our call.

We get to summon God – and He hears us. That’s not insignificant. In fact, it’s life changing if we let it be.

It’s not as though we have to summon Him because otherwise He wouldn’t be there. Psalm 145:18 describes God as being near to us, “The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth.” But notice the words added here — repeated as well — the emphasis to call upon Him in truth. He’s not a god we’ve imagined in our minds – one we can control or manipulate. He is the Truth. We must seek Him as He is, not as we imagine Him to be. We must search for Him in His truth, not ours. 

In prayer and worship, we personally summon God. But we see repeated phrases, “while He may be found” and “while He is near”, implying an urgency to this plea. Our time is limited and one day won’t have the option to call upon Him. 

When Can God Be Found?

It’s unsettling to see the words “while” here. It points to our limitation. Time is not endless. And while we push Him away time and again, He is patient. He gives us more grace than we could imagine, but our opportunity to respond is finite. We have one life to live — and each day, we choose who we will live it for.

There’s urgency in His call to us because He understands our hearts more than we do. He knows that over time, they harden. We’ll grow more comfortable in our lesser joys, losing sight of the greater One. 

Will we live for ourselves? Or call upon Him? Will we seek our own satisfaction? Or find it in Him?

We can call upon Him because He’s first called upon us. He loved us first. He saved us so we could run to Him. 

God can be found — right now. He’s waiting, patiently and lovingly. But the question remains, will you respond?