The Bible is a book of invitations from God to each one of us. How we respond to each invitation is entirely in our hands and leads us down a beautiful journey of knowing God in His wonder and might. A few invitations would include:
– Matthew 11:28, Jesus invites us to come to Him to find rest.
– John 1:39, Jesus invites us to come and see!
– In John 7:37, Jesus invites us to come and drink!
– John 21:22, Jesus said come and dine!
– Mark 10:22, Jesus invites us to come and take up the cross.
Most invitations have a requirement to come! You can be completely honored by an invitation and yet not be transformed by it. For example, let’s say you’re invited to a meal with a famous actor. This invitation can be posted on social media so you can be admired by the world that you have been personally invited to such an event. However, it’s only when you choose to accept the invitation and make the necessary plans to go, do you actually receive the intended purpose of the invitation. It’s in your choosing to accept, prepare, and go do you actually experience its full reward.
If we’re not careful, we can be known by the invitations we’ve received from the Lord yet because we never actually accepted, prepared, and chosen to come we never experience its full reward. It’s one thing to know about an invitation, it’s another to actually participate in it!
To “come” means: to draw nearer, to move toward, move with a purpose, to advance, to go forward, rise in rank.
To accept an invitation takes planning and effort. It requires you to move away from some things so you can move toward something else. It requires a change of priorities for that day, season, or even for a lifetime. Many reasons or challenges could come up that would make accepting the invitation a great labor. However, when it’s all said and done you’ll take a deep breathe and say, “It was worth it all!”
QUESTIONS:
1. Review and discuss the invitations mentioned. Can you find other invitations in the Word?
2. What did it look like when you accepted the invitation for salvation? Was there a labor required as your priorities changed?
3. Today, is there an invitation you have failed to accept? Are you wrestling with excuses?(Luke 14:18-20) What are they?
