Invited to be a follower of Christ – invited to life eternal

 

An Emoji Devotions for 13 January, 2022

Topic: Invited to be a follower of Christ – invited to life eternal

By Hans U. Wenger

Highlights:

‘Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labour on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare. Give ear and come to me; listen, that you may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David. (Isaiah 55:1 - 4)

 ‘All things have been committed to me by my Father. No-one knows the Son except the Father, and no-one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. ‘Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (Matthew 11:27 – 30)

Today we are going back to the roots, to the most basic truth. People of all races and of all ages are thirsty for life. What life is, is however very differently defined in our society. Many people think that life can be found in earthly goods, pleasures and power, but really fulfilling life can be found only in community with the giver of life. After God has created Adam he blew him the breath of lives in his nostriles and man became a living being. Together with his wife Eve, God gave him the mandate to subdue the earth and to fill it. They enjoyed a perfect life in the presence of their creator, having all their needs and wishes met until Satan disrupted them by implying they could have much more by disobeying God and to follow his lead.

 They listened to Satan and immediately died out of the spiritual life that had connected them with God. Consequently they had to leave the garden God had created for them, because of the mercy of God, who did not want that the separation from him would be perpetuated, when they would eat from the tree of life. In his absolute goodness never gave up on them and the entire Bible basically tells us the love story of God who searched to bring man back to him in many different ways. 

2000 years ago he sent Jeshuah (Jesus) to the earth who was the only one able to redeem man with God again and to open up the future Paradise for everybody who comes to Jesus and submits him-/herself to him. In Jesus the creator of the Universe and of all the earth invites you into his close friendship. He loves you so that he died on the cross to pay for your sins and iniquities. No matter what happened in your life – he loves you and cares for you and he searches you for a fully satisfying life with him in eternity.

Now, what do you have to do to turn to Jesus? Just talk to him as you would talk to a friend. Tell him your thoughts, your doubts and your questions and ask him to answer you. If you are ready to become one of his followers, confess him your conscious sins, repent of them and invite him to enter your life and to fill you with his Holy Spirit. Start reading his word and begin to shape your life according to it. Believe the scriptures: “He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognise him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God – children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” (John 1:10-13) 

Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.’

It is crucial that you trust the scripture and not your feelings. By trusting the word of God you will experience the strength you need to walk with him. If you have done damage to people, confess it not only to God, but to the people whom it concerns and try to make good what can be made good. You have now a new life and will get the strength to live it out. Do not be discouraged by mistakes, accept them and go on concentrating on following Jesus in all you do. You will get stronger by the day. 

Prayer: Dear Jesus, I am separated from you because I am a sinner. Today I come to you, realizing that I am unable to help myself. I repent of all my sins and I invite you into my life as my Lord and Savior. Come into my heart and change me from the inside out. I do thank you for your love, your goodness and your forgiveness. Help me to follow your footsteps and fill me with your Holy Spirit. 

Thank you for cleansing me with your blood and redeeming me with your Heavenly Father. Thank you for the gift of eternal life and the privilege to belong to you. Keep me in your path and let me be something for your glory. In your Holy Name, I pray! Amen. 

You have questions? Send it to the blog comment and we will gladly get back to you.