The cry of the Christian religion is the gentle word, “Come.” The Jewish law said harshly, “Go”—“Watch your step on the path you walk. Break the commandments, and you will die; keep them, and you will live.” The law was a dispensation of terror, which drove people with a whip; the gospel draws people with cords of love (Hosea 11:4). Jesus is the good Shepherd going before His sheep, urging them follow Him and always leading them with the sweet word, “Come.” The law repels, the gospel attracts. The law shows the distance between God and man; the gospel bridges that awful chasm, and brings sinners across it. From the first moment of your spiritual life until you are ushered into glory, the language of Christ to you will be, “Come to me.” Just as a mother puts out her hand to her little child and woos it to walk by saying, “Come,” so does Jesus. He will always be ahead of you, bidding you to follow Him like a soldier follows his captain. He will always go before you to pave your way and clear your path, and you will hear His life-giving voice calling you to follow Him all through life. Then, in the solemn hour of death, the sweet words with which He will usher you into the heavenly world will be, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father” (Matthew 25:34). Even further, this is not just Christ’s cry to you. If you are a believer, this is your cry to Christ: “Come! Come!” You will long for His second advent: when He says, “Surely I am coming quickly,” you will respond, “Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20 NKJV). You will pant for nearer and closer communion with Him. As His word to you is “Come,” your reply to Him will be, “Come, Lord, and stay with me. Come, and occupy the throne of my heart all by yourself. Reign there without a rival, and consecrate me entirely to your service.”
- C.H. Spurgeon Morning and Evening
I have also been reading a book written by a Pastor who I know. "Through the Door".
His entry for yesterday seems to fit well with Spurgeon today. Jesus will be persistent at knocking on the door of your heart. Waiting patiently for you to open it and bid Him "Come".
We live in a world where choice is before us. A choice to obey and a choice not to.
My Old Testament reading is at yet another place of reading about Israel's disobedience. Of their rebellion. The Lord was telling them He sees through them.
He sees through you and I too.
He knows our hearts whether or not we are saved. For the Saved, we ought to be fully open to what He's waiting and wanting to do in our lives to make us more like Him. For those who don't know Jesus as their Lord and Savior, He knows all about you, and loves you anyway. He's ready to take away your sin. If you would but open the door to your life to Him and invite Him in and save you.
We can choose, we do choose. We do always choose.
Inaction is still a choice as much as action is. Not speaking is a choice as much as speaking is a choice.
There is, however, a day quickly coming when most choices will be curtailed.
Soon Jesus will be coming back to receive to Himself all who have believed yet passed on as well as those who are alive who are believers. Once that day occurs, things will not be good for those left behind.
Read Revelation. Yes there's symbolism in it but much is not. The judgment parts are huge. Billions will die. You will either follow the new world Leader or die as well. You will have only that choice.
He will have it no other way. Then there's the world wars that will be happening. After all this a great battle between a very visible, very much alive Jesus Christ as He physically descends to set foot on the Earth again.
Choice. It's before all of us. This morning I choose to be in God's Word. I choose to spend time reading on things that spur my thinking on in Godliness. I choose to talk with Jesus in my car as I go to work. I choose to talk with Jesus throughout my day. He's with me always. He hears me always. I bid Him come years ago and He kept His promise to never leave me nor forsake me. He keeps His promises always. Men will fail me but He never will.
But that's just the beginning. I must choose to keep opening doors to rooms in my heart. I must choose to allow Him to renovate my heart. I accepted His gift of Salvation, with it comes a transformative process to become Christ-like. Obedience is necessary. That's what I still must choose. Even with Him in me, I still must choose to obey.
So what are you choosing today? Are you choosing to go through today seeing what you can make of it or are you choosing to ask Jesus to go before you and guide your thoughts and ways?
Are the things of this world more important than your walk with God?
You have to choose. Thid world is heading for judgment. People are dying and going to Hell. Your choices will either help save some or they won't. Your prayers will make a difference if you choose to.
Choose wisely today.
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