The Irresistible Call
When jesus comes to us
Have you ever felt lost, trapped in the darkness of your circumstances, desperately needing someone to find you and show you the way out? I remember when I was in 3rd grade, I went to a waterpark with a friend and his family. On one of the rides, my innertube flipped over and I was separated from the group. From that point forward, I spent the rest of the day searching the 70-acre park for my friend and his family. I was completely lost, alone, and had no idea what to do. Eventually, I was reunited with them, but only because the staff at the waterpark were notified that I was lost and assembled a small group to seek me out and find me.
In this world, we wander as lost children who have been eternally separated from our Heavenly Father. We might try searching for Him in this life, but the truth of the matter is that we will never be found unless He comes to us.
This is where Jesus enters our story. He doesn't wait for us to find Him – He actively seeks us out. Throughout history, God has always been the initiator, seeking out Noah before the flood, calling Abraham to establish a nation, finding Moses to lead His people out of slavery, and choosing Gideon to free His people from oppression. Jesus continues this divine pattern, going to great lengths to find those He calls to Himself.
Consider the profound truth that Jesus is willing to go any distance to reach us. No sin is too terrible, no place too hidden or shameful, no condition too hopeless, and no person too reprehensible for Him to seek out. As the scriptures declare, "For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost" (Luke 19:10). This is Jesus' mission, and it's a necessary one because, in our natural state, we are spiritually dead and incapable of seeking Him on our own.
When Jesus calls us, He doesn't merely ask us to believe in Him – He commands us to follow Him. This call requires more than just faith; it demands a transformation of our entire life. Following Jesus means conforming our lives to His, allowing ourselves to be changed from the inside out.
The urgency of responding to Christ's call cannot be overstated. Our response to His invitation has eternal consequences. The prophet Isaiah warns, "I called and you did not answer, I spoke and you did not hear; you did what was evil in my sight and chose what I did not delight in" (Isaiah 65:12). When Jesus calls, we must not ignore or reject His offer. If we do, it is to our own detriment and destruction.
Those who truly encounter Jesus and follow Him find themselves compelled to share their experience with others. Like Philip in the Gospel of John, we should be filled with such joy and conviction that we can't help but tell others about Jesus. Our conviction should be rooted in a deep understanding of Scripture, recognizing that Jesus is the fulfillment of all that God has spoken throughout history.
However, we must be prepared for skepticism and doubt when we share our faith. Nathanael's initial response to Philip's excitement about Jesus – "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" – reflects the cynicism we often encounter. Yet, we should persist in inviting others to "come and see" Jesus for themselves, confident in His power to transform even the most skeptical hearts.
One of the most astounding aspects of Jesus is His intimate knowledge of each person. He knows our beliefs, our character, and every detail of our lives. As the Psalmist wrote, "Lord, you have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I stand up; you understand my thoughts from far away" (Psalm 139:1-2). This omniscience can be both terrifying and comforting. It serves as a warning that we cannot hide anything from Christ, but it also offers hope that He loves us fully despite knowing everything about us.
For those who put their faith in Christ, there is a marvelous promise: "You will see greater things than this." Following Jesus is not a one-time decision but an ongoing journey of witnessing His work in our lives and in the world around us. We will see the power of Christ over sin, witness the transformation of lives, experience answered prayers, and ultimately, be welcomed into eternal life.
Perhaps the greatest miracle of all is that through Jesus, heaven has been opened to us. He has become the stairway that bridges the gap between God and humanity, fulfilling the vision given to Jacob in the Old Testament. As Jesus Himself declared, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6).
This incredible truth should fill us with awe and gratitude. The God of the universe has taken the initiative to seek us out, to call us to Himself, and to provide a way for us to be reconciled to Him. Despite our doubts, our questions, and our unworthiness, He invites us to come to Him and witness the greatest miracle ever performed – our salvation through Jesus Christ.
As we reflect on this message, let us consider how we have responded to Jesus' call in our own lives. Have we truly followed Him, allowing our lives to be transformed by His teachings and example? Are we sharing our experience of Christ with others, inviting them to "come and see" for themselves? And are we living in the expectation of seeing "greater things," trusting in God's ongoing work in and through us?
May we be like Nathanael, who moved from skepticism to faith as he encountered Jesus. May our eyes be opened to recognize Jesus as the Son of God, the King of God's Kingdom, and the one through whom we have access to the Father. And may we live each day in the joy and wonder of this truth, eagerly anticipating the greater things He has promised to show us.
