Drawn to Him

Jeremiah 31:3 “The LORD appeared to us in the past saying ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love. I have drawn you with loving-kindness’”

 I had read that scripture many times, but in January 2010 the Holy Spirit brought it back to me and opened it up in a new way that gave me hope in a very difficult time in my life.  He opened up the word "draw" for me, unveiling it like a beautiful treasure that He framed in the context of His everlasting love and His loving-kindness.  The actual word in Hebrew is "masak", and in its general definition, it means to drag or extend, but He wanted me to go deeper and what I discovered changed me, delighted me as He showed me yet another dimension of His love. 

Draw; to gather up with gentleness and tenderness and hold close, like a small child scared in the dark, a loving parent will gather her up, tenderly hold her close and speak soothing words to calm and comfort.  Can you picture Papa God doing that with you? That’s what He said, just there in Jeremiah 31:3. 

But, it gets better, draw can also mean to pull along, to cause to move forward by a force applied in advance of the thing.  As only God can do in His everlasting love, as He knows our end from our beginning, He will apply the force in advance to move us forward.  He does not make it up as He goes along, He does not push, He in His love knows you so intimately, that He does in advance just exactly what you need to move forward, more and more into His love.

When we get in too deep and the waters and the enemy threatens to overtake our whole life, He will draw us out of the deep waters, He will pull us up, up above our circumstance, onto the solid Rock, the     Foundation we have in Christ Jesus.

This is a good one, to draw can mean to bring by compulsion.  Ever feel Him draw you to Him even though you were kicking and screaming?  Even if it was away from the edge of the cliff or from the trap of the enemy?  I’ve watched Him to that.  I’ve watched Him patiently and firmly pull one of His children, kicking and screaming from the jaws of the enemy who was just about to devour and destroy one of His precious children. 

And in contrast, I’ve seen the LORD move slowly, extend gradually, draw one of His own with consummate love and tenderness back into His will, His path.  There is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.   He will go to great length to draw us back to Him, to win us, to attract us, to invite us to come near. 

Then just as the sail of a sail boat will draw the Wind…… To be filled with the Wind so it can advance on, He will fill us with the fullness of the Holy Spirit, enabling us to move forward. Does He not tell us He will  take us from glory to glory?

In the depth of this simple word, I found no trace of a God Who tolerates me, puts up with me, or looks at me as an obligation, I see an amazing love that spans time, past, future and current.  I see a Papa God who is always for me, Who will never let go and is not far away. 

I challenge you to take a step back and ask Him, how has He drawn you?  Then let Him show you how He draws His precious child who He loves with an everlasting love.

Unconditional Forgiveness For All

   Simon Peter denied Christ three times.

Mark 14:66-72


 ⁶⁶ While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came by. ⁶⁷ When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked closely at him.
   “You also were with that Nazarene, Jesus,” she said.
 ⁶⁸ But he denied it. “I don’t know or understand what you’re talking about,” he said, and went out into the entryway.
 ⁶⁹ When the servant girl saw him there, she said again to those standing around, “This fellow is one of them.” ⁷⁰ Again he denied it.
   After a little while, those standing near said to Peter, “Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.”
 ⁷¹ He began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know this man you’re talking about.”
 ⁷² Immediately the rooster crowed the second time. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows twice you will disown me three times.” And he broke down and wept.

  John 18:15-18

¹⁵ Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Because this disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard, ¹⁶ but Peter had to wait outside at the door. The other disciple, who was known to the high priest, came back, spoke to the servant girl on duty there and brought Peter in. ¹⁷ “You aren’t one of this man’s disciples too, are you?” she asked Peter.
   He replied, “I am not.”
 ¹⁸ It was cold, and the servants and officials stood around a fire they had made to keep warm. Peter also was standing with them, warming himself.
 John 18:25-27

²⁵ Meanwhile, Simon Peter was still standing there warming himself. So they asked him, “You aren’t one of his disciples too, are you?”

   He denied it, saying, “I am not.”
 ²⁶ One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenged him, “Didn’t I see you with him in the garden?” ²⁷ Again Peter denied it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow.


Matthew 26:69-75


 ⁶⁹ Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. “You also were with Jesus of Galilee,” she said.
 ⁷⁰ But he denied it before them all. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said.
 ⁷¹ Then he went out to the gateway, where another servant girl saw him and said to the people there, “This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.”
 ⁷² He denied it again, with an oath: “I don’t know the man!”
 ⁷³ After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, “Surely you are one of them; your accent gives you away.”
 ⁷⁴ Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know the man!”
   Immediately a rooster crowed. ⁷⁵ Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.

  Peter denies Jesus three times. First to a servant girl, next to another servant girl (with witnesses) and the third time it was a servant from the high priest. This time Peter felt trapped and cursed that he did not know Him.

  Betrayal from a disciple that told Jesus just hours before that he would follow him to prison and even to death.

Luke 22:33

   ³³ But he replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.”

 

  Jesus tells Peter that when he has turn back to Him and his brothers to strengthen them in faith. Jesus forgave him even before he had sinned against Him.

  Let me say that again, let it sink in, soak in it. "Jesus forgave him before he had sinned against Him"

  We serve an awesome God that offers forgiveness before we even know we needed it.

John 21:15-19

  ¹⁵ When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter,“Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”

   “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”
   Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”
 ¹⁶ Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
   He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
   Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”
 ¹⁷ The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
   Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”
   Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. ¹⁸ Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” ¹⁹ Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”


   Jesus forgave Peter completely, it was forgotten! He went on to send Peter out to spread the Gospel. Peter was the rock that His church would be built on. Amazing the man who denied Him in His hour of need, He had unconditional love and forgiveness.


   Have you ever felt that you have sinned beyond redemption? The blood that Jesus shed only covered some sins and not all? Who told you that????


  Jesus was crucified for all of our sins. True forgiveness.


  The next time you transgress, stumble or fall, ask for forgiveness and put it in your past. Christ has already forgotten all about it.


  My brothers and sisters I love you. I want you to know the freedom and grace He has given me. The amazing forgiveness and unconditional love that He has in abundance for all who ask and follow Him.