Open Invitation part 1
The verse that is stuck in my head (and heart) right now is Revelation 22:17. So I'm gonna preach it (or Rant on it) until my heart is empty on it. "The Spirit and the bride say, "come." Let anyone who hears this say, "Come." Let anyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life" (Revelation 22:17, NLT). And to me, it's important that we DON'T see this as a command. I believe God is too much of a gentleman to force His will upon us. He went to great lengths--literaly bringing mountains low and valleys high--so that we could walk the straight and narrow path that leads to life. He didn't want to make it hard on us, He wanted to make it easy on us. He shows us the way by making His Word (which is Jesus, which is love) a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. He shows us the way by saying, "Come." And it's not, "Come... or else." It's, "Come and get it." The Spirit and the bride are ringing the dinner bell to let us know that supper is ready! The six-course meal that Jesus prepared for us in the presence of our enemies is the six steps that He took to the throne. Crucified, died, buried, quickened, raised, seated. Jesus did all the hard work. All of the heavy lifting. He came that we might have life, and have it more abundantly. He came that we might experience HIS life by letting HIM live His own life in us, and through us, and as us. And the thing that makes the abundant life abundant... is life. The life of Jesus is His abundant, everlasting, eternal, Resurrection Life of Love. And nobody can live Jesus' life except Him. So instead of trying to live His life... we let Him live it in us, and through us, and as us. But here's the rub: As amazing as this life is... in the same way that God WON'T force it upon us... we CAN'T force it upon anybody else. The call to "come" is an invitation. And notice that once you hear that call... you make that call! You receive it... and release it. "And all things are of God, who hath reonciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation" (2 Corinthians 5:18). We are reconciled... we can reconcile. Simply by being a witness. By sharing our experience with God's love with each other. Letting God love us and loving Him back by loving each other. God's love inside of us WILL come out of us when we know and believe that we have it. The key is to desire. To understand that our desire... is love. And it can only be found in God--who IS love. Instead of looking for love in all the wrong places, we need to just go to the source. We need to experience what we've got by giving it away. And we give it in the same way that it is given to us. Freely we receive, freely we can give. We have been invited (by the Spirit and the bride) we can invite others. Share what we've got. The six-course meal is a love feast. There is more than enough food--love--to go around. Don't think you'll ever run out. God's love is unlimited. In fact, the more you give it away, the more you have. Because love IS giving. You can't run out of it. You experience it by giving it away. If you want to feel love... love somebody. Give what you've got, and in that way experience what you've got. But don't make it hard on people. Say come. Not, "Come and jump through the hoops." Not, "Come... or else." But, "Come and get it!" Ring the dinner bell. Anybody who is thirsty can come and drink. The water of life is available. It's at hand. It's within reach. So get you a drink. Pull up a chair. And bring a friend to this more excellent way of life that IS Jesus... that is love!