How to respond to God's invitations

“Moses and Aaron brought together all the elders of the Israelites, and Aaron told them everything the LORD had said to Moses. He also performed the signs before the people, and they believed. And when they heard that the LORD was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshipped.” Exo 4:29-31

The progression: 

• signs and wonders helped them believe 
• they realized God was watching over them and was concerned about them
• they bowed down and worshipped

How many times is that the way we respond to a miracle? I just came back from the Middle East where one day, I went up to a young man and asked if he had any pain in his left wrist. A big smile came on his face and he said “yes, how did you know that?”. We explained to him that God had shown us about his pain, and that He wanted to take the pain away by healing his arm. The young man was amazed and allowed us to pray for him, and then God healed him! Then we told him that this was a sign of God’s goodness, and that God cared about him. We left him knowing that some other team members would be back to follow up with him. We praised God as we walked away.

I listened to some guys teaching over the weekend and he made reference to Luke 10, where Jesus sent out the 72 and when they came back they were so excited that even the demons submitted to them, but then how Jesus showed them what they really should be doing - worship God. The teacher said to do like this: after a great nights ministry, go home, go to the bathroom, open the toilet, sit down next to it. Now tell it exactly what happened that night, the highs, the lows, how you felt, the people that you met - everything. Then get up, close the toilet and leave the bathroom. That’s what a relationship is about - just being with the one you love. 

“Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” John 14:23

My wife and I just bought a house - we made a home together - and it was really interesting learning about our relationship. We are both pretty task focussed, and I praise God for our friends who told us - after you move in and get settled you’ll realize that you hardly know your spouse anymore. Between “stuff” it’s easy for relationship to take second place. Because of that wisdom, we stayed focussed on our relationship and came out stronger! In the end, “making a home together” has less to do with the place and getting through the to-do list, and more with “who” is making the home together and how is that relationship being grown.