Invitation: Pick Up Your Torture Device?ናሙና

I’ve learned that my only hope is Jesus. Like me, you’ve lived long enough to know rough patches in life as well as outright catastrophes, and I simply can’t imagine facing life without the love of God, my salvation from Jesus, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. This is the message we have to share. Before you can truly extend the invitation to another, you must be aware of your own belief and dependence on Jesus. You must be ready for some of your family and friends to look at you differently and shy away from your words. Some will outright leave you.

You must remember, though, that Jesus faced all these issues himself. After he had taught a very hard lesson, preparing people for his death and resurrection and setting up the idea of communion with bread and wine, many of his followers left. The teaching was too hard. We see what happens next in John 6:67-69 (from the New Living Translation):

67 Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?” 68 Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. 69 We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God.”

Once again, Peter is the disciple who blurts out the obvious comment. If not Jesus, then who? I feel Peter’s words deeply because I know them to be true. So, I know in my heart that I have to do my best to share the invitation to know Jesus so that others can also know this truth. Even though we, as fallen sinners, bicker, fight, argue, disappoint, mess up, and damage relationships (well, you get the idea), we have to repent again and move forward. We have to pick up our cross, follow Jesus, and shout from the mountaintops that He is our hope. Jesus provides you and me with grace and the path to God. Our belief in Jesus also gives us access to the Holy Spirit within us.

These aren’t old-timey sayings, empty of meaning. Jesus brings clarity when you don’t know what to do because, after prayer and a decision, you know peace when you are following the plan you should follow. You have access to the same power that brought Jesus up from the grave, which will help you move through events you cannot endure under your own strength. Once you live with the power of Jesus, you understand that all hope is from Him.

What is your story? When did you feel the peace I mentioned? How did you know you were within God’s plan for your life as you rested in that peace? What have you endured that you could never have done without the leading and power of the Holy Spirit? Figure out the answers to these questions. Once you know specific and personal stories of how accepting the invitation from Jesus impacted you, sharing those stories is how you share His invitation with others.

When you are in a conversation and feel prompted to share your story, do it. You are not responsible for making someone a Christian; the job of changing hearts belongs to the Savior. The acceptance of the invitation belongs to each individual.

You are meant to share how Jesus directly impacts your life and the difference he has made for you. You can share how Bible reading, devotions, youth meetings, church services, camps, and conferences have helped you grow your relationship with Jesus. After conversations, your listener might ask questions, and you can answer or help your friend find the answers. Be honest. That’s all you have to do, which isn’t as excruciating as it seems.

Because of living life and experiencing the crises through which Jesus walked with you, you probably recognize that we all have to carry around our own torture devices anyway. We do it every day already. Why would you not share his invitation when Jesus tells us, “[T]he burden I give you is light” (Matthew 11:30). Without Jesus, we are just carrying around a cross. With His accepted invitation and power inside us, the cross becomes bearable and light. That’s an invitation worth sharing.