God’s Word: An Invitation to Come Home
While listening to a recent Podcast with Pastor Tyler Staton, he said, “God’s Word is an invitation.”
I felt those words hit my heart deeply and personally.
Take a moment and think about this with me - God’s Word is an invitation.
Merriam-Webster defines invitation as:
a: The act of inviting.
b: An often formal request to be present or participate
What is God inviting you into today?
It won’t be the same as what He has invited me into, or what your friend is being invited into with God, but you… and Him together.
As I look back on my walk with Jesus, and all that I have gone through, I see the moments where God was inviting me into something with Him. A partnership. From my brokenness, pain, let downs, shame, sorrow, conviction of sin, joy, victories, healing, restoration and new life- there was an invitation to come home.
There is always an invitation on the table with God’s Word to know Him deeper- and not only to know Him, but also where we discover who we were always made to be- His child.
Hosea 6:6 says, “ For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.”ESV
The Word and presence of God invites us into something deeper than what we can see with our eyes, and feel with our skin, but something our soul longs to know- the love of God, and the relationship we were created to walk in with Him.
A couple of years ago I was going through what some call, “The dark night of the soul” season. I sat at my wooden kitchen table, the sun had not come up yet, and I sat there as a dim lit up the words on my Bible for me to read.
How many times have you come before the Lord and told Him what you thought needed to happen? For me that was a daily rhythm. I found myself always telling God what I felt was best and what needed to happen. I actually believed I knew better. And this time I wanted out of that dark night of the soul- badly.
As I wanted out and to just be on the other side, God knew what was necessary and better.
In the quiet space of my kitchen, I sat there with the Word of God staring back at me- silence. But then came a still small voice, it was simple, but yet it held such power and authority. An invitation was dropped in my heart from God that said, “ Try having a relationship with the Word.”
My first response was to be offended…Of course!
I was in the Word, and I read my Bible often. After I pushed through the instinct to be offended by such an invitation, I then came curious. What was God inviting me into? If it were truly God’s voice speaking to my heart, then what was He seeing that I could not see?
Over time I began to discover that my heart wanted the easy way out, and I always wanted the quick answer to my problem. I wanted the “Fix”. I wanted to feel God’s presence all the time to be able to trust Him and His love for me. I wanted Him to just speak to me personally and tell me what to do so I could get out… Although God has done that for me in the past, I could discern this time He was inviting me into something new, but vital and beautiful. God was taking me deeper.
Isn’t that true for each of us?
There is a saying that goes, “God loves you right where you are, but He loves you too much to leave you where you are.”
That morning the Word of God was drawing me to learn what it meant to go deeper in relationship with the Living Word of God. I knew many things in theory and could tell you that I had a relationship with the Word of God, but the truth was I didn’t understand the connection and power of God’s Word in my heart to bring about true transformation. That the power of His Word IS a real person named Jesus, who desires to be in connection and relationship with us intimately. This intimacy is where personal transformation begins to unfold.
I suppose that having a deeply personal relationship with the Word can mean something different to each of us.
What does it mean to you?
For me it meant beginning to see the heart and face of Jesus in those words written in black and white. Where the words on those pages became less of a religious performance and something just to memorize, but promises. The Word of God was becoming alive and began to have a heart beat that connected me to The Father, or in many ways it brought me Home.
The Holy Spirit led me to seeing the Word as a source of nourishment to my soul and a place where I knew I belonged- Identity.
Sitting with the Word of God was like sitting at the Father’s table that He has prepared for me, and for you, in the presence of the enemy. God’s Word was now becoming my own inheritance.
“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.” Psalm 23:5-6 NKJV
As we walk along the path we are on, there is no rush, there is no agenda, but God longs to reveal Himself to His creation, through His Son and Holy Spirit, so that we can know Him deeply and personally. In that knowing we begin to transform into the image of Christ and love the world around us from that deep truth.
Maybe like me you struggle to grasp what it means to be in a relationship with the Word of God, or Jesus and Holy Spirit. Maybe it’s been some time since you have been in the Word, that’s okay too. There is new mercy for today. I personally found myself saying to God today, “I want to come back home.” He knows what I mean when I say that- it means I haven’t been sitting with Him in His Word. It’s easy to get lost and wrapped up in the ways of this physical world we live in, and so we need each other to encourage our hearts to come back home, and feed on God’s truth, grace and love.
It’s never too late!
Just be available. I always remind my friends when they are struggling with being in the Word to just put their Bible somewhere in the main part of their house, and leave it open. Try again.
Where do you find yourself lingering more in your home? That’s the space to keep your Bible open.
There is always an invitation ready for us to walk in. It’s not a burden, or an obligation, but a call to just come, rest and feast at the Father’s table. For each of us to find a piece of Home in God’s Word and presence that brings about true and lasting heart transformation.
Prayer:
Father, thank you for your loving Word, that is SO alive and living! The Word is a person, and His name is Jesus, who is so full of grace and truth.
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14 NKJV
Help me to walk in a deeply rich relationship with Jesus through your Word and the Holy Spirit. Teach me how to walk hand in hand with you daily through your promises. Holy Spirit, draw me to the heart of the Father and His deep love for me.
Thank you for your perfect love that holds me, even in my weakness and imperfections.
In Jesus name I pray- Amen.
Please don’t hesitate to share your own thoughts in the comments so we can connect over this topic of invitation! I pray this word is a blessing to you today!
Love in Faith,
