GOD'S INVITATION

These are words I never thought I'd be writing, "in the middle of a pandemic"....

We are on week ten of uncharted territory. One day I'm in the hair salon, and the next I'm in lock down! While everything around us screams "be anxious," God commands us to "Be anxious for nothing. Fear not. Do not let your hearts be troubled. Don't worry."

Hmm? Pandemic and don't worry. Seems like an oxymoron. Sometimes I feel like I'm in the twilight zone. I find myself walking around saying out loud, "we are in the middle of a pandemic! A pandemic! This is so weird!"

If you've read any of my past writing, you know my default is fear, especially in the unknown. It's been a lifelong journey and it keeps me at the feet of Jesus. And this? This is a whole new level of unknown.

Hindsight 2020 for me, at least so far, is  an 'invitation'. God seems to be inviting me to something. I keep hearing this word over and over again.

"I believe that every command of God is an invitation," says my husband as we talk through what life may look like going forward. I wrote that in my journal as I wrestled through feelings of helplessness and fear. And times of hopelessness and even shame, in what seems like a lack of faith in my heart.

So I asked God, "What is it that You are inviting me to in this season of uneasiness?" I sensed Him saying, "Be still and wait." (Definitely not easy for me)

I read, "When God announces judgement, it is almost always an invitation to repent and receive mercy."

And I heard, "When Paul says, "Be anxious for nothing" in Philippians 4:5-9, he first reminds us that the Lord is near. These verses are meant to comfort us. They are not designed to make you feel bad. They're designed to make you feel better by giving you alternatives to worry and anxiety. The invitation is to God comforting you as He offers two promises; the first, His peace will guide you, the second, His peace will guard you."

And today it was said,  "In Mark 8, Jesus asks His disciples, Is your heart still hardened? Having eyes, do you not see? Having ears, do you not hear? Do you not remember?...How is it you do not understand? This was a strong and kind invitation."

God reminded me when the disciples were in a storm and Jesus was sleeping, they asked Him, "Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?" Then, He arose and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!" And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. And He said to them, "Why are you so fearful?" (Mark 4:38-40 emphasis mine)

Peace, be still. I want to relax in the arms of the God who created me, and He who formed me; even when it doesn't make sense. I will trust You in the storm as You rebuke the wind and silence the sea. I accept Your invitation to transform me as You renew my mind.

My prayer is that I come out of the pandemic saying, and believing, the words penned by Jeremiah "Your words were found and I ate them and your words became my joy and the delight of my heart; For I am called by your name, O Lord God Almighty." (15:16)

What is God inviting you to?

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