Jesus is Calling – "Come Home" – He Waits

 

Jesus is Calling – Come Home – He Waits

There is an old hymn that goes like this: Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling, calling for you and for me; See, on the portals He’s waiting and watching, Watching for you and for me. Why should we tarry when Jesus is pleading, Pleading for you and for me? Why should we linger and heed not His mercies, Mercies for you and for me? O for the wonderful love He has promised, Promised for you and for me! Though we have sinned, He has mercy and pardon, Pardon for you and for me. Come home, come home, You who are weary, come home; Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling, Calling, O sinner, come home! Come Home!

In the beginning, Adam and Eve were placed into the beautiful garden of Eden, and every evening God would come down from heaven and walk and talk with them. But Adam and Eve sinned, and they became spiritually dead and were no longer the same, they were changed. Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”

Today God is calling men and women in our city to come to him. He knows where they are, but He is gently waiting from them to acknowledge their need of Him.

Jesus told a story in chapter 15 of Luke's gospel, about a young man who requested his inheritance and left home. Tragically the son wasted his goods and being too proud to beg he went to work for the pig farmers. For a Jew to stoop to this kind of work; was unthinkable and such a shame to be found in the pig pen of life.

You must notice that the father stayed home and waited. He did not go to the pig pen to rescue and drag the boy home. He did not send friends to help the boy leave his squalor. The father waited until his son was willing to make a decision to return home. The Bible says, “The boy came to himself:” In other words in his thinking and decision-making mind, the son made a choice - - he said to himself. “I don't like it here, I no longer want to be here, I have had enough of this madness, I will leave and never come back here, and I will return home and humble myself and be like one of my father's slaves.” So, he got up, shook himself, and departed for home.

Now the decision to return to the father was a good one - - but in his mind he considered himself “No longer worthy, not good enough, a failure.” He forgot that he was the legitimate son of his father and that would never change. When he reached home, his father received him with open arms, hushed his foolish words assuring him that he was forgiven and that he had all the rights and privileges of a genuine bona-fied son.

You may wonder why Jesus the Good shepherd would leave 99 other sheep with a watchman, and search for one lost sheep. Understand this was a different situation. The lost sheep was immature and no doubt a baby lamb who was not grown up enough to realize the wilderness was harmful.

The baby lamb may have been influenced by other sheep and was carried away as he looked for greener pastures. The lamb became lost, injured and afraid and could not find his way back to the sheep fold. But the good shepherd searched until he found him, lifted him up and carried him in his arms back to safety.

Now the hurt lamb could be treated with balm and oil for his hurts and cleaned up and nourished with milk to grow and become strong to stay with the rest of the flock and stray no more. The shepherd would forgive his wanderings and remember them no more. This was a learning experience to the baby lamb, and as he learned and matured, he would become accountable.

Isaiah 1:18-19 reminds us; Come now, let us consider together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are as red as crimson, they will become like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good of the land, but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.” For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

Friend, know this that today Jesus is calling you. Regardless of your situation, He can make it better and bring about permanent change in your life.

The simple fact here is - - are you willing and obedient to come and allow Jesus to pour into your wounds the oil of the Holy Spirit? The Promise from Jesus was that He would change you into a new person, a new creation. He has also promised the Holy Spirit to those who ask, and you will be given power to become strong and become the witness that is pleasing to God.

If you have never invited Jesus into your life, do not hesitate, but come today to Jesus - - He is calling and He is waiting for you.  Simply tell Jesus you invite him into your heart, and that you believe He is the Son of God who died for your sins, that He rose from the dead and will take you into His kingdom because He is willing - if you are willing to serve Him all the days of your life.