by: carole l. haines
As I was praying this morning, I found myself praising God for the fact that He loves us all so deeply, so uniquely. His loving embraces are carefully formed to meet the needs of each one of His children. This past weekend, I needed to be alone with God. I didn’t know it at the time, but He did. He cleared my calendar, all my plans fell through for both days, and He made Himself very real to me again. I have a hard time when Bruce goes away, he’s my best friend, and after 32 years of marriage, I feel kind of “halved” when he is gone. So I tend to over-plan things to do, so I don’t get lonely. But God made it very clear to me this past weekend, that He is ever with me, and I am never alone; never, ever alone. Coming to God is a “by invitation only” event, and yet His invitation is open to any, and all, who will hear His call. Listen to His Invitation:
O taste and see that the Lord is good; how blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him! They who seek the Lord shall not be in want of any good thing. 11 Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. (Psalm 34 NASB)
“Incline your ear and come to Me. Listen, that you may live; And I will make an everlasting covenant with you, according to the faithful mercies shown to David. (Isaiah 55:3 NASB)
28 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (Matthew 11:28-29 NASB)
Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” (Matthew 19:21 NASB)
37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and
the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out.
38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.” (John 6:37-40 NASB)
I underlined the words above because they give me so much comfort. “The one who comes to me I will certainly not cast out.” I have suffered a lot of rejection in my life, and have felt abandoned, at times, by other people.
But this Invitation of Jesus to “Come to me,” and the promise. “I will certainly never cast you out,” means everything to me.
God invites each and every one of us to come, and promises never to cast us out. God will never find some defect in you that will make him throw you away, as others have done to you. God invites, forgives, heals, cleanses, and keeps all who come to Him.
So yes, God’s call is by Invitation only, but He invites us all, each and every one.
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