Recently I posted a short story on the blog called “Come and Stay!”. It is a story about the 32 year old Henry, only recently reconciled to his wife, Claire and to his 7 year old twins, Sam and Theo – and also reconciled to God, his Heavenly Father.
The story relates how Henry is now traveling to Cornwall to seek reconciliation with his estranged father, a Dad, who out of desperate personal trauma, was never able to form a father-son relationship with his son, born even as those traumatic events unfolded in his life.
At the end of the story, Henry’s invitation to his Dad to “Come and Stay!” is the culmination of a restoration process that happened as they spent a day sailing together – their relationship was physically restored, but also supernaturally!
Supernatural! In a very real sense, this is exactly what God our heavenly Father wants for all his estranged children too. For the whole of humankind, it is our inherent sinfulness that separates us from Him in His perfect holiness. But through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we are restored and given the right, the invitation, to come to our heavenly Father and to stay with him – eternally!
The New King James Bible uses the word “abide” meaning to stay, remain, or live in a close, ongoing relationship with God.
In Matthew 11:28 Jesus says: “Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest”. The invitation is for us to approach him just as we are – burdened and broken and feeling unworthy. In the Book of Revelation 22:17 we are told that we do not need to wait for our perfection, we don’t need to clean up our lives, before turning to God. The invitation we are given allows us to fully enjoy an intimate relationship with Him now, to receive His grace freely. God invites us to come to Him and then to stay with Him.Permanently!
God wants to make his home with us. 2 Corinthians 6:16 reminds us of that, quoting scripture from the Old Testament. God says: “I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God and they shall be My people”.
When we “come and stay”with God, we discover that in His presence we are transformed. Yes, God welcomes us just as we are, but His very presence in us works to transform us, so that we don’t stay the way we are, but are totally restored – which includes our minds being renewed. Awesome!
Twice, Paul in his letters stresses that this is not only possible but necessary!
In Romans 12:2, Paul encourages us: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (NIV)
And in Ephesians 4:22–24 Paul writes that we should abandon our old self and “be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”
It is Jesus, by the Holy Spirit, who wants and if we will let Him, to shape our heart look like His. John 15:4 records the words of Jesus: “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.”
God’s “Come and Stay” is permanent. Our calling is to stay closely connected to Him every day, every moment. That is a challenge, but by His Holy Spirit and the gift of faith, it is not only possible but eternal!
Let’s daily accept His invitation to “Come and Stay!”
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All references are from the NKJV unless specified otherwise.
John Partis
bearing-kingdom-fruit.com
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