Seek the Lord
Seek the Lord while he may be found
The hymn emphasizes the Christian call to seek God in repentance and faith, reflecting Lutheran emphasis on justification through grace. It echoes the Law-Gospel pattern by first calling sinners to seek the Lord and then assuring them of His mercy and willingness to pardon.
History & Background
This contemporary hymn was written for the Lutheran Church setting, drawing directly from Isaiah 55:6-12. It appears in Lutheran Service Book (2006) as hymn 983.
Hymnal Appearances
- Lutheran Service Book — 983
Bulletin Note
Composed in 1980, 'Seek the Lord' reflects contemporary worship's recovery of prophetic urgency paired with Gospel assurance, drawing on Old Testament imagery of divine seeking that echoes through Lutheran theology.
Preaching Connection
This hymn embodies the Law-Gospel movement: the Law's urgent demand that sinners forsake their ways, followed by the Gospel's joyful announcement that God's mercy awaits all who seek Him in faith.
Themes
Repentance and turning to God Divine mercy and forgiveness Urgency of salvation Trust in God's grace