An Invitation of Love

By Matt Hofeld

My kids love to receive invitations. When they are invited to a birthday party or to a friend’s house they just glow with excitement. I even like to get invitations. What makes invitations so popular? When we are invited to something it means that someone wants to include us and we all like to feel included. It means that we are liked or loved.

Did you know that God gives you and me an invitation to join Him in what He is doing? He doesn’t do it because He needs us. He gives us an invitation to join Him in what He is doing because He loves us. Before we talk about joining God in what he is doing, let’s talk about the different ways we experience God’s love.

First, we experience God’s love by knowing Him.
John 14:21
21Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."
We show God our love for Him through our obedience and our obedience is what allows us to know Him. Notice that the Lord will show Himself to the one He loves, the one who shows love through obedience.

Second, we experience God’s love through worship.
Psalm 96:2
2 Sing to the LORD, praise his name;
proclaim his salvation day after day.

When we give our devotion to God in worship He gives back to us in love. When we stay close to Him, He will revive us. When we learn from Him and walk in his teachings, He will keep our hearts devoted to Him. All acts of worship draw a response of love from God.

Keep in mind that there are always indications of the depth of our love. Our daily choices to honor God with our lifestyles, how much time we spend in God’s word, and how much time we spend in communication with Him daily are all indications of our love for Him.

God’s indication of His love towards us is the invitation for us to join him. He is already at work and His work isn’t limited to our participation.
John 5:17
17Jesus said to them, "My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working."
Often we pray for God to use us or to start something with us. Instead we need to ask Him to show us where He is working. He has already started something and has invited us to join Him, it’s our responsibility to find out where He is working and get plugged in.
John 14:15-17 tells us that the Holy Spirit will guide us, but it’s still our responsibility to seek.

The bible is full of stories where God showed where He was at work to normal people and they joined Him. Moses was tending sheep in the desert when God gave him an invitation to join Him. Peter and Andrew were fishing when Jesus gave them their invitation.

What about you? What were you doing when God invited you join Him? Did you accept his invitation? God’s work will continue whether you join Him or not.
Philippians 1:6
6being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
It’s out of love that He chooses to invite us. That should make you feel valuable and accepted by the most important being in the entire universe.