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The Invitation: Jesus calls us to focus on him

The alarm rang and Josie groaned as she rolled over, trying to retreat back into the peaceful nothingness of sleep. As the alarm increased in volume and intensity her mind became more aware of the reality of this new day and all that was ahead of her. Her desire to go back to sleep remained strong but the tyranny of her responsibilities poked into her mind like the nagging drip of a faucet. She slid her arm out from under the covers and hit the snooze button on the alarm.

As she brought her arm back to snuggle down for just a few more minutes, her hand brushed against something on her night stand. She opened one eye and saw a lovely envelop by her alarm. She knew that it wasn’t there the night before and she wondered if one of her family had left it. She picked it up, slid a note out and read, “Good Morning! I’m looking forward to the visit we can have this morning. You and I have some exciting adventures today and I want to give you the necessary instructions and tools. I’m looking forward to our whole day together. Meet you in a few minutes. Love, Jesus.”

Josie bolted up and read again. She looked around her room and saw that nothing was disturbed, yet how did this invitation get here?

Each of us has such an invitation before us every day; not physically, but the invitation is just as real. To begin the day and several times during the day Jesus whispers in our ear and calls us to focus on him and his desires for us.

Why would Jesus issue such an invitation? Because he desires a relationship with us! He has said: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28) The Psalmist David pointed to the result of interaction with God by stating: “Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.” (Psalm 90:14)

When Jesus was on earth, he shared his desire to comfort and encourage his people – even those who treated others with hate by saying, “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing.” (Matthew 23:27)

Jesus also lived out the importance of spending time with his father. “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place where he prayed.” (Mark 1:35)

While the religious leaders of his day were pressuring Jesus because they did not like his message and before Jesus chose his 12 disciples, he sought extra wisdom. “One of those days, Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.” (Luke 6:12) Jesus demonstrated that sometimes, we need more than a quick, “Thanks for the food” or “Please heal Patricia.” If Jesus needed that solitude and extended time with God, don’t we need it at least as much?

When we wake tomorrow morning, let’s eagerly accept this invitation from our creator and sustainer who longs to cover, encourage, protect, satisfy and lead.

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