The Invitation

I started thinking about something last Sunday evening. At one point in the evening the Lord had us find different scriptures dealing with God's "invitation"; verses such as "come unto Me all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest". We were to then read them out loud. I read a couple of verses but most of them were read by others who had gathered together to seek the Lord. I just sat back and listened to the Word of the Lord. As I did I found myself thinking about the description of Heaven found in Revelation 4. It speaks of a glorious Throne and the Almighty sitting upon it. I envisioned the One sitting on the Throne saying to me, "come". Wow! What an invitation!

Interesting how one thing leads to another, isn't it. Genesis 3:8-10 says-
And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, "Where are you?'' So he said, "I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was ; and I hid myself.''

Here is God's creation, the BEST God ever has done, hiding from the Lord. Think of all they had been through up to this point. It was Adam and God that named all the animals. Adam named them, God said, "so it shall be", or "Amen!". They walked and talked and the Lord explained mysteries to Adam that, probably, no one has known yet today. It was God, the One Adam is now hiding from, that had approached Adam about "giving of himself" so that the Lord could make a helper for Adam. It was Adam who had faith in his Creator to the point he was willing to trust the Lord to put him down and then raise him back up. And because of that, Eve was created. Eve, the one Adam was now hiding with. All this and more had been a part of Adam's short past.

Now, he hears the voice of God and hides. You may be thinking, "of course Adam's hiding; he just sinned". True, that's a good part of the reason. But understand something here; Adam sinned but God came looking for him. It was God Who said, "Adam, where are you?". It was God Who lost His BEST when Adam turned on Him. Yet it was God Who was willing to seek and save that which He had lost. And, we know that the scripture says of Jesus, "the Son of man has come to seek and save that which was lost." God not only was willing the first time to give the invitation, but He is forever calling to you and I, "where are you?". He LOST His BEST with Adam's treason, but He GAVE His BEST to win him back. Jesus, God's second Adam (1 Corinthians 15).

This is how the Lord is applying it to me and, I believe, the BODY of CHRIST. We welcome the invitation for "sinners" to get right with God. AMEN! HALLELUJAH! But there are people all over this nation and around the world that are hiding from the Presence of God. People that once were "on fire" for God. People who had "tasted and seen that the Lord is good". People that told other people that "Jesus Christ is the Lord of my life!" Now, a lot of these same people are hiding - hiding in the "garden" of the congregation; hiding in the shadows, keeping a low profile, not willing to be found. Here's part of their mentality, "As long as I go to church I'm alright. And, I've got to go to a church I'm comfortable with, or I agree with..." On and on that thinking goes. But think about Adam in the garden. Would it have been better for Adam to find another place to worship? Maybe a place where he didn't feel "uncomfortable"? Is that what he really needed?

Could it be that people shun the Presence because they're uncomfortable with Holiness? Could it be that deep down they realize that they have fallen short of God's Truth? (and who hasn't!) Maybe they have forgotten they were once delivered from the kingdom of darkness. Maybe the "good old days" of walking and fellowshipping with God have gotten too old. Maybe...

But the Lord is on the move! Walking among the trees of the garden calling our names, "WHERE ARE YOU?". This is not the time to hide, but the time to submit ourselves to His Presence. It is the time to FACE GOD and let Him forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. It is the time to REPENT and RECEIVE the garments of righteousness and the power to be free. It is the time to accept His Invitation!

Please listen carefully to this: the remedy for our unfaithfulness, our sinfulness, our whatever, is NOT HIDING! The remedy is GOD'S PRESENCE!

Revelation 22:17 - "And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!'' And let him who hears say, "Come!'' And let him who thirsts come. And whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely."
John 1:12 - "and as many as received Him, to them He gave the power to become children of God, even to as many as believe on His Name"

It is time to COME OUT OF HIDING and embrace the call of God for your life! It is time! Will you answer, "here I am" and let the Lord have His say?

Pastor Jan