IT’S NOT JUST AN INVITATION
Denise Linton
Today’s Scripture: “They asked, ‘Who healed you? What happened?’ He told them, ‘The man they call Jesus made mud and spread it over my eyes and told me, “Go to the pool of Siloam and wash yourself.” So I went and washed, and now I can see!”’ John 9:10-11, NLT
Theme: Use your experiences to connect with others and share the love and salvation of Christ.
RIPPLE EFFECT
When my son is near any water and there are rocks around the shore, he immediately tries to see how many times he can skip a rock across the face of the water. On the other hand, I like to throw a rock as far as I can and watch the ripples it makes. They just seem to keep going forever.
Have you ever stopped to think how one invitation could affect a multitude of people, just like the ripples from a rock thrown in the water? In John, Chapter 4, Jesus offers Himself, the Living Water, to the Samaritan woman at the well. After accepting Jesus’ invitation, she returns to town and invites everyone to come and meet Him. Many more people became believers because of her invitation.
HIDING AND HURT
After my husband passed away, I wanted nothing to do with the church. I had put whatever belief I had in God on a back burner. Four years after his dad had died, my son was invited to Cove Students by his friend, and he asked me if he could accept this invitation. I was fine with him accepting it, if I didn’t have to have anything to do with the church. My son loved attending Cove Students every Wednesday night. Then he was invited to Vertical Element and then a mission trip to Atlanta with other middle school students. It was at Vertical Element that my son accepted Christ and was baptized.
INVITED, THEN INVITING
For six months, my son continued to invite me to attend a weekend service at The Cove. My answer was “no” for several months, but I finally gave in. It didn’t happen right away, but after attending and then becoming involved with serving, I gave my life fully to God and was baptized at The Cove. I began to invite a co-worker, who also said yes; he brought his mother and took his son to Cove Students. They each made the decision to accept Christ. My co-worker then invited his father and a friend of his mother. They too accepted Christ. The ripples continue from that initial invitation to my son.
Make It Personal: Are you willing to be a rock in the water, creating ripples that will change eternity?
Pray: Father God, thank You for personally inviting me into Your family. We all feel hurt or distant sometimes. That distance can cause us to resist You and Your loving family. I pray for myself, and anyone else who has experienced hurt, to be receptive and open to Your gentle love. Help me to get passionate about You and use my painful experiences to love and invite others in with compassion, persistence, and gentleness. Help me not to worry about the questions and the unknowns, but share the truth: “Well, I don’t know the answer to that, but I once was blind and now I see” (like John 9:25). In Your Name I pray, Amen.
Read: John 4:39-42, 9:1-25
Weekly Memory Verse: “So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.” Philippians 2:1-2, ESV