An Invitation

Messengers went out at the command of the king and his officials through all Judah and Israel with the following invitation: “People of Israel, you have survived the Assyrian conquest of the land. Now return to the Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and he will return to you. Do not be like your ancestors and your Israelite relatives who were unfaithful to the Lord their God. As you can see, he punished them severely. Do not be stubborn as they were, but obey the Lord. Come to the Temple in Jerusalem, which the Lord your God has made holy forever, and worship him so that he will no longer be angry with you. If you return to the Lord, then those who have taken your relatives away as prisoners will take pity on them and let them come back home. The Lord your God is kind and merciful, and if you return to him, he will accept you.” 2 Chronicles 30:6-9

The Israelites had been in a time of war and captivity. The King’s message went out to remind them who they truly belonged to. He wanted to point them back to God. He wanted to remind them that the Lord is kind, merciful, and willing to accept them back. He reminded them of their past relatives who were unfaithful and stubborn and what happened to them as a result.

In my own life, there was a time I walked away from God. From the age of 13 to about 18 I lived in sin’s captivity. It was me who imprisoned myself because I was already a Christian; sin had no hold on me. I was stubborn and unfaithful. Regardless, in all His mercy God kept sending me an invitation. He kept putting road blocks in my path to draw me back to Him.

For awhile after I came back to Christ, really long while, I was condemned by my past. I allowed the lies of the enemy to bind me to the sin I committed after accepting Christ. God eventually showed me, just like the King was trying to tell the children of Israel, it was never about my worthiness but about God’s kindness. It is about His mercy. It is about His acceptance of me because of the finished work of the cross. In His love for me, He kept sending me messages to remind me of who I was. I am His precious child.

Prayer – Lord thank You for Your mercy and kindness. I am thankful for Your acceptance as a child of God. Thank You for helping me move past my own disobedience, unfaithfulness and stubbornness. Thank You for the invitation to come back to You, to worship, and serve You. In Jesus’ name, amen.