Seek the Lord while He may be found

We are living in peril-filled times. I am especially concerned for the well-being of families and individuals across this nation. The government can only do so much to keep people afloat during difficult times. The government depends on the American worker to produce taxable income, but what if the American worker cannot find work?

According to businessinsider.com, retailers have confirmed more than 1,000 store closures in 2021 so far. More than 8,000 US stores closed last year, and experts predict 10,000 possible closures in 2021.

Below is a list from Moneywise.com of predicted store closings:

1. Christopher & Banks Stores closing in 2021: Up to 449
2. Family Video Stores closing in 2021: 250
3. Starbucks Stores closing in 2020-2021: 500
4. Gap Stores closing between 2020-2023: 220
5. Godiva Chocolatier Stores closing in 2021: 117
6. Justice Stores closing in 2021: Up to 103
7. Banana Republic Stores closing between 2020-2023: 130
8. The Children’s Place Stores closing in 2021: 122
9. J.C. Penney Stores closing in 2021-2022: Up to 90
10. Fossil Stores closing in 2021: 65 to 75
11. Disney Stores closing in 2021: at least 60
12. Express Stores closing in 2021: Up to 60
13. Macy’s Stores closing in 2021: 45
14. Bed Bath & Beyond Stores closing in 2021: at least 43
15. Fry’s Electronics Stores closing in 2021: Up to 31
16. Stock Field Stores closing in 2021: 25
17. Designer Brands DSW Stores closing in 2021: Up to 24
18. Best Buy Stores closing in 2021: More than 20
19. GameStop Stores closing in 2021: Dozens?
20. Paper Source Stores closing in 2021: At least 11
21. Kroger Stores closing in 2021: 9
22. Goodwill Stores closing in 2021: 8
23. Michaels Stores closing in 2021: At least 5
24. Toys ‘R’ Us Stores closing in 2021: 2
25. Bloomingdale’s Stores closing in 2021: 1

What can be done now to turn our nation around? God’s Word advises us to seek Him while He may be found. Call upon Him while He is near.

“Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.” [1] There needs to be repentance of sin, a forsaking of wrong ways, and a return to the Lord. His mercy and His forgiveness of our sin is the answer.

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” [2] God has the solutions. He will share them with us if we listen.

“For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” [3] God’s Word yields good results in the lives of those who embrace and believe it.

“For you shall go out with joy and be led out with peace; the mountains and the hills shall break forth into singing before you, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree; and it shall be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.” [4] Rather than doom and gloom, we will have joy, peace, singing, clapping of hands and good produce... IF we will turn FROM sin and TO the Lord and His Word, and trust Him.

The most important truth to hold onto without any skepticism is this: “He [Jesus Christ] Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.” [5] If our sins are propitiated for... atoned for... washed away by blood of the Lamb of God, we have access to the grace of God, and nothing is impossible for God! This propitiation is available to the whole world when we believe in Jesus Christ.

[1] Isaiah 55:6-7
[2] Isaiah 55:8-9
[3] Isaiah 55:10-11
[4] Isaiah 55:12-13
[5] 1 John 2:2