You have received an invitation...
Invitations are woven into the fabric of our everyday lives. We eagerly await them, be it for a cozy dinner or a joyous wedding.
We can only appreciate them, can't we?
Today, I would like to talk to you about another type of invitation. This one comes straight from God Himself.
You might be wondering: what exactly is this about?
This is an invitation:
- To have your sins forgiven
- To be reconciled with God
- To the salvation that God wants to offer you
As I’ve already shared, we are made up of a spirit, a soul, living in a body. When we open our hearts to Jesus, God, through the Holy Spirit, comes to renew our spirit once dead because of sin.
He then begins a transformative work in our soul. This transformation is supernatural; it cannot be achieved by human effort, for it is the work of the Holy Spirit.
Invitation to Abundant Life
" Ho! Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters;
And you who have no money,
Come, buy and eat.
Yes, come, buy wine and milk, Without money and without price.
Why do you spend money for what is not bread?
And your wages for what does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And let your soul delight itself in abundance.
Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live»
Isaiah 55 : 1-3a (NKJV)
God challenges us with these questions:
Why do you spend money for what is not bread,
And your wages for what does not satisfy?
These verses do not address material food but rather spiritual nourishment. Everything that incites people to seek pleasure at all costs, compulsive and excessive shopping, achievements that are often a priority for many, cannot renew the spirit and transform the soul. For only God has the power and the will to do so.
God advice:
"Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And let your soul delight itself in abundance. Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live."
God recommands:
- Listen, and eat
- Incline your ear, and come
- Hear, and your soul shall live
Yes, because we can hear without truly listening. You’ve surely experienced this: listening to someone without paying attention, then asking, “What did you say?”
I thoroughly enjoy this Bible verse, because God who has perfect knowledge of human being speaks to us clearly and accessibly, repeating Himself.
God has so much to tell us, far more than we imagine. Imagine that the Creator of heaven and earth sincerely desires to be part of your life.
What an honor!
God invits:
Psalms 34 : 11-14 (NLT)
"Come, my children, and listen to me, and I will teach you to fear the Lord."
Does anyone want to live a life that is long and prosperous?
Then keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies. Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it."
While everyone is searching for "happiness", here is the true key. Psalm 34 above describes it.
Happiness does not come from the outside, but it originates within us, in the depths of our soul.
I would even go further: it stems from an authentic and living relationship with God.
How can we achieve this?
By learning to listen to Him
By developing a reverent fear of Him
By being mindful of our words
By avoiding falsehood
By turning away from evil to do good
And above all, by persevering in our pursuit of peace
"LISTENING TO GOD BRINGS LIFE, PEACE, AND THE SALVATION OF THE SOUL."