"Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near." "Those who seek Me diligently, will find Me." "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation!" (Isaiah 55:6, Proverbs 8:17, 2 Corinthians 6:2).

But they have let the day of salvation slip by, and abused the accepted time; they would not seek God diligently while He was near; they would not call upon Him while He might be found; they would not seek Him. This is why there is no answer to their prayers: they would not pray in God's time—and He will not hear in their time.

Reader, what have you to say to this? Are you such a person? Are you one who refuses to hear the voice of God, and neglects to pray to Him? If you are, this comes as a warning to you—a solemn warning! Do not say that it does not apply to you—because you do not openly set yourself against God, because you are not an unbeliever or blasphemer, denying the Bible and scoffing at religion. You need not be this—and yet you may be one to whom the warning applies.

To neglect prayer, to disregard the gospel, to pay no attention to religion, not to close with the offer of salvation in Christ—this is enough. The words, "Because I have called and you refused, I have stretched out My hand and no one regarded," exactly describe a prayerless, thoughtless person.

Thousands upon thousands are living so—not merely the grossly wicked—but the careless and worldly. They are letting both time and means of grace to slip by. They are not regarding Him who is stretching out His welcoming hand to them. They are refusing Him who calls. Call after call comes: sermons, sicknesses, deaths, blessings, losses, warnings, providences, the voice of conscience! In a thousand different ways, is the hand of mercy and love stretched out to invite them, but in vain. They pay no heed. They reject all God's counsel; they will none of His reproof. Is it so with you?

The time of which I have been writing, that solemn time when prayer will not be heard, has not yet come. The day of grace still lasts. God is a prayer-hearing God still. Will you not pray?

Think how you would pray then—and pray so now. Think what your prayers would be if ever you should be brought to that state, "when your terror comes, when your terror comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you." Think what your prayers would be then, and such let them be now. Only with this difference, this happy difference: then they would be too late—now they may be in time; then they would be the prayers of despair—now they may be the prayers of hope and faith. God is waiting to be gracious—His arm of mercy is still stretched out. Full forgiveness and free salvation may still be had through Him who died on the cross for sinners.

Now your prayers may be heard—for the throne of grace is opened to you, and there is One there to plead your cause, your Mediator and Advocate—Jesus Christ, the Friend of sinners. Come then, poor fellow-sinner—come to the throne of grace! Come and seek, while you may find; ask, while it shall be given you; knock, while the promise lasts that it shall be opened to you. The Lord may yet be found. He is still near.

Be not afraid of coming, because you have stayed away so long; as long as God calls—so long you may come. Do not keep back from prayer, because you know not how to pray. What do you need? That is the simple question. Do not you need pardon and help—the blood of Christ to cleanse you, and the Spirit of God to change and sanctify you? Then ask for them. Your needs should teach you how to pray.

Think no hard thoughts of God. "God is love" (1 John 4:8)—love not merely to those who love Him, but to the poor wandering sinner also. Consider how this has been shown. "God demonstrates His own love to us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). And will He, who spared not His own Son for sinners—refuse now to hear the sinner's prayer, when he pleads for Jesus' sake?

Oh, believe in the love of God. Believe that, for Christ's sake, He will hear your prayer. You are not "too late to pray." Be sure that, even while you are yet a great way off—your Father will see you and have compassion upon you and meet you with His open arms of mercy (Luke 15:20). He Himself has said, "Before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear" (Isaiah 65:24).