Jesus Is Calling — Will We Accept His Call?

Categories: Church of Christ Bulletin Articles

The story is told of a woman who, during the course of driving to the grocery store, saw two stray dogs in an open field. Desiring to help them, she got out of her car and pursued them for over an hour, trying to call them to come her. Unable to do so, she drove to the store and bought some tasty meat for the starving animals. After leaving the meat where the strays could find it, she waited, and waited, and waited, but the dogs still declined her offer.

In frustration, she cried out, “I’m trying to save you! You’re going to starve to death or be killed out here!” She later thought to herself, “They had no idea that they actually needed me, but they refused my offer of food so that I could help them. I was so hurt and frustrated, knowing their bleak future as strays.”

As she continued to reflect upon her experience with the stray dogs, a spiritual application became clear to her. She said, ” I thought of the Lord — how He lovingly works to call people to come to Him so that He might save them (Matthew 11:28-30), yet so many refuse. Many do not even believe they need Him at all. They do not realize their souls are starving!”

God Sees Our True Condition

The above story should be a powerful reminder to us as to how God sees our true, pitiful condition: Lost, starving, headed for danger, and in need of His help and comfort. Isaiah the prophet once stated regarding our spiritual condition:

“All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way, And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6).

God Wants To Rescue Us

God reaches out to rescue us by calling us through the saving message of the gospel (2 Thessalonians 2:14), but many still refuse His offer, unaware of their perilous spiritual condition. On one occasion, Jesus looked upon the city of Jerusalem, saw their spiritual condition, and wept over it, saying:

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!“ (Matthew 23:37; cf. Luke 19:41-44).

Jesus Makes Our Salvation Possible

Dear reader, Jesus went to the cross to make our salvation possible! He took your sins and my sins upon Himself and paid the price for our redemption (1 Peter 2:24; cf. Hebrews 9:28). He invites all to come to Him for salvation:

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls, For My yoke is easy and My burden is light“ (Matthew 11:28-30).

There Are Conditions Of Acceptance

Our Lord has set forth the conditions of acceptance into His spiritual body, the church (Matthew 16:18; cf. Romans 12:5; Ephesians 1:15-23; Colossians 1:18):

Faith (Hebrews 11:6).
Repentance (Acts 17:30-31)
Confession (Romans 10:9-10)
Baptism (immersion) for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16).
A life lived in dedication to the following of His will (Matthew 7:21; James 1:20-27; 1 John 1:7).

Jesus Is Calling Us

Like the woman in the above story, Jesus sees us in our true, pitiful condition: Lost, starving, headed for danger, and in need of His help and comfort (Luke 15:11-24). He is calling to each of us to come to Him for salvation (Revelation 3:20).