Come

I have a special place in my bedroom - it's a little cut-out nook with a large window overlooking the woods in our backyard. When we first moved in, I considered it wasted space, but then I realized that my newborn daughter's crib would fit there, so it was no longer considered wasted space. The crib stayed long past the time that she did - we moved her to her own room once she began to sleep through the night. What to do with the space now? Eventually I realized that the space was perfect for an old desk that I had since college, and the nook became the home for the desk. A year or so later, there was a beckoning, of sorts, to the desk. I believe Jesus, in a sense, prepared a place for me to meet with Him. This space speaks to me invitingly, "Come."

Come. It's a beautiful word evoking invitation. It involves a relationship. It's found throughout scripture. God invites us into relationship, worship, freedom ...

Today I was reading at the end of the book of John, reading through Jesus' post-resurrection/pre-ascension words. I was digging around to see what He said to His disciples in His last days with them following the big event (crucifixion and resurrection). In John 21, for me, it has seemed like the emphasis in that chapter has been on the restoration of Peter. Granted, that was a significant exchange between Jesus and Peter. Yet right before that, Peter and a few other disciples were out to sea again, doing the fishing thing. They had been at it all night and hadn't caught a thing. An onlooker from shore called out to them to see if they had any food. They called back a discouraging, "No." The man on shore told them to cast their net on the right side of the boat, claiming that they would find food there. They not only found food - they couldn't even pull the net in because it was overflowing with fish. I'm sure, at this point, though not stated in the text, that John looked up in astonishment at this man and discovered it was Jesus. He then told Peter, and Peter impulsively plunged into the sea towards shore, though not far from there at all. The rest simply came ashore by boat. Once they got there, they discovered that Jesus had prepared for their coming. He wanted to spend time with them. The fire was all prepared and the food was cooking. Jesus asked them to bring a some more of the fish - He wanted them to have plenty to eat, I'm sure. Peter brought the net full of 153 large fish up from the boat - I can just picture them standing around counting each one. Then Jesus beckoned them, with love and compassion for these dear friends of His, "Come and eat breakfast." What an incredible picture to me. I can see Jesus opening His arms to them in invitation-like fashion, showing them that He had made preparations for them to spend some precious time together. He served them, continuing to show the sacrificial love He had for them.

Jesus bids you and me to come. He wants us as well to come and sup with Him. " 'Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me" (Revelation 3:20). So ... come.

Grace and peace to you.