Invitations
I've been getting invitations lately - to join things, to attend things, to purchase things, to learn things - and it has reminded me of the invitations we have in our lives in regard to God. And, as usual, He has spoken to me about a slight shift in my thinking when considering these invitations. And, as usual, my thinking is typically based on me first. And His shift puts Him first. Imagine that! Want to explore some of the invitations with me?
I usually hear that we invite Jesus to come into our hearts when we receive His gift of salvation. And Revelation 3:20 says: Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. So, we invite Him in, right? He's outside the door, knocking and calling to us, and we open the door and He comes in. But why is He there? Did He get an invitation from us to show up at 7:00? We don't even know to invite Him until we hear Him at the door. It is sort of like He has invited Himself over, bringing all the finest of foods with Him. And He knocks and calls until we open the door to accept the invitation. My friend, Stephen, mentioned this thought process had been in a sermon he heard recently. I wish I could remember all he said about it...
When I am in need of deliverance from some unpleasantness in my life, I ask God to deliver me. I invite Him to come on down here and take care of business. But if I have accepted His invitation to dine, He is already here. And He, dwelling in me, sharing meals with me, is experiencing the same unpleasantness. And the unpleasantness is bringing His invitation to trust. He invites me - in the midst of my daily life - whether pleasant or unpleasant - to trust that He loves me, is leading me, has me in His hand, is working for my sanctification in every circumstance, and will carry me through every moment. He is inviting me, in the depths of my weakness, to trust His strength and find freedom to eat our dinner together in peace. Job 36:15 But those who suffer he delivers in their suffering; he speaks to them in their affliction. 16 "He is wooing you from the jaws of distress to a spacious place free from restriction, to the comfort of your table laden with choice food."
There is a pattern I have used from time to time to order my days so that I do the things that must be done, the things I want to do, and the things I know He is asking me to do. And in the process I usually find myself inviting Him to participate in each event that goes on the planner for that day, praying over each item for His blessing and direction. But recently, as He and I have sat at the breakfast table together, He has revealed that it is really Him setting out the things that He will be doing that day. And He is inviting me to join Him in His work. Jesus put it like this in John 5:19- Jesus gave them this answer: "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, to your amazement he will show him even greater things than these."
I have sometimes prayed for Him to enter into times of corporate worship. I invite Him to be present and to speak and reveal Himself and to be glorified in what happens in these times. But He has shown me that as I come to these places of worship that He is inviting me to true worship as I accept His invitation to enter His courts with praise. He inhabits our praises. He is already present in our times of worship. He invites us to enter in and be fully present, too, allowing our spirit to commune with His in all of the truth revealed in the presence of the awesome God we worship. John 4:23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.
Father, as I consider your invitations to me, I accept them all. I have opened the door and accepted Your invitation to dine on the finest of foods and I delight in Your presence at the table with me. I accept Your invitation to trust. In fact, when the trouble comes I want to accept Your invitation to climb into Your lap, draw near to hear Your every word, and completely rest in Your strength. And I know that my deliverance will come in the midst of the trouble as I am drawn again to Your table of choice foods. Each day I will accept Your invitation to join You in Your work in this world. Show me the things on Your agenda and how I am to participate. Whatever You and the Son are doing is whatever I want to be doing. And may each day bring even greater things. And Father, I gladly accept Your invitation to be fully present in my worship of You. I long to worship as one whose spirit is one with Yours, surrounded by Your glory, experiencing You completely. Keep inviting me. I love the invitations and I love accepting them because it means more time with You to dine, to trust, to work and to worship.
He's inviting you, too,
Amy
I usually hear that we invite Jesus to come into our hearts when we receive His gift of salvation. And Revelation 3:20 says: Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. So, we invite Him in, right? He's outside the door, knocking and calling to us, and we open the door and He comes in. But why is He there? Did He get an invitation from us to show up at 7:00? We don't even know to invite Him until we hear Him at the door. It is sort of like He has invited Himself over, bringing all the finest of foods with Him. And He knocks and calls until we open the door to accept the invitation. My friend, Stephen, mentioned this thought process had been in a sermon he heard recently. I wish I could remember all he said about it...
When I am in need of deliverance from some unpleasantness in my life, I ask God to deliver me. I invite Him to come on down here and take care of business. But if I have accepted His invitation to dine, He is already here. And He, dwelling in me, sharing meals with me, is experiencing the same unpleasantness. And the unpleasantness is bringing His invitation to trust. He invites me - in the midst of my daily life - whether pleasant or unpleasant - to trust that He loves me, is leading me, has me in His hand, is working for my sanctification in every circumstance, and will carry me through every moment. He is inviting me, in the depths of my weakness, to trust His strength and find freedom to eat our dinner together in peace. Job 36:15 But those who suffer he delivers in their suffering; he speaks to them in their affliction. 16 "He is wooing you from the jaws of distress to a spacious place free from restriction, to the comfort of your table laden with choice food."
There is a pattern I have used from time to time to order my days so that I do the things that must be done, the things I want to do, and the things I know He is asking me to do. And in the process I usually find myself inviting Him to participate in each event that goes on the planner for that day, praying over each item for His blessing and direction. But recently, as He and I have sat at the breakfast table together, He has revealed that it is really Him setting out the things that He will be doing that day. And He is inviting me to join Him in His work. Jesus put it like this in John 5:19- Jesus gave them this answer: "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, to your amazement he will show him even greater things than these."
I have sometimes prayed for Him to enter into times of corporate worship. I invite Him to be present and to speak and reveal Himself and to be glorified in what happens in these times. But He has shown me that as I come to these places of worship that He is inviting me to true worship as I accept His invitation to enter His courts with praise. He inhabits our praises. He is already present in our times of worship. He invites us to enter in and be fully present, too, allowing our spirit to commune with His in all of the truth revealed in the presence of the awesome God we worship. John 4:23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.
Father, as I consider your invitations to me, I accept them all. I have opened the door and accepted Your invitation to dine on the finest of foods and I delight in Your presence at the table with me. I accept Your invitation to trust. In fact, when the trouble comes I want to accept Your invitation to climb into Your lap, draw near to hear Your every word, and completely rest in Your strength. And I know that my deliverance will come in the midst of the trouble as I am drawn again to Your table of choice foods. Each day I will accept Your invitation to join You in Your work in this world. Show me the things on Your agenda and how I am to participate. Whatever You and the Son are doing is whatever I want to be doing. And may each day bring even greater things. And Father, I gladly accept Your invitation to be fully present in my worship of You. I long to worship as one whose spirit is one with Yours, surrounded by Your glory, experiencing You completely. Keep inviting me. I love the invitations and I love accepting them because it means more time with You to dine, to trust, to work and to worship.
He's inviting you, too,
Amy
Funny you should write on this. I have heard now four times this week on the invitation to "come and follow me" that Jesus gave his first 4 followers. Still working through the specifics for me. Thanks for the insight sister!
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Hmmmm... Invitations are great. Be sure and let me know what He says to you about the Follow Me one! Bless you, sweet sister.
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This is an important word. Thank you Amy. I am so glad you take the time to write the things he is speaking to you. You are a blessing.
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I'm glad He spoke to you about His invitations, precious friend. And I don't think it would be possible for me to NOT write... Do you? Bless you!!!
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