Joy In Jesus

No matter how dreadful your mistakes, there is forgiveness.  You can start anew.  His grace reaches lower than your worst mistakes.

George Herbert wrote this poem about 400 years ago:

LOVE bade me welcome; yet my soul drew back,

Guilty of dust and sin.

But quick-eyed Love, observing me grow slack

From my first entrance in,

Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning

If I lacked anything.

A guest,’ I answered, ‘worthy to be here:’

Love said, ‘You shall be he.’

‘I, the unkind, the ungrateful? Ah, my dear,

I cannot look on Thee.’

Love took my hand and smiling did reply,

‘Who made the eyes but I?’

‘Truth, Lord; but I have marred them: let my shame

Go where it doth deserve.’

‘And know you not,’ says Love, ‘Who bore the blame?’

‘My dear, then I will serve.’

‘You must sit down,’ says Love, ‘and taste my meat.’

So I did sit and eat.

In this poem, love represents Jesus.  Look how Jesus sees you. You may feel that you are unworthy, “not enough,” but the One who loves you looks at you through the lens of love.  He sees you as who you can be, as the person he intended for you to be.  And he is the one who invites you and me to sit down and eat with him, to be with him.

Jesus extends the same invitation in the final chapter of the Bible:

“The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!”

And let the one who hears say, “Come!”

Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.”

Revelation 22:17

What is the key for you and me to finally escape the prison of habitual sins? We need to find our peace, happiness, and fulfillment in Jesus.  When we are at home with our Lord, enjoying the living waters he offers us, we will no longer desire to search for fulfillment anywhere else.