Restoring the Welcome

It’s Monday Grace!

Last week I wrote about restoring the sense of the Lord’s presence. It isn’t that the Lord is far away. We don’t really have to ask the Lord to be with us, nor should we be surprised when the Lord “shows up.” He is always with His people. The challenge most of us face is the willingness to be in His presence.

Grace teaches us of God’s love and restores the welcome.

Way back in ancient Christian history (1983) Michael W. Smith (yes, he is that old) came out with a song that touched our hearts. It was simply called “Friends.” Some of our good friends played it at a little reception they had for us as we left for a new ministry. It was a hard time, and the song helped.

I think the chorus is what reminded us that we were not leaving our friends, but just postponing our next meeting. We have rarely been able to visit these friends over the past almost 40 years, but we have kept in touch. We know that we will see each other again.

And friends are friends forever
If the Lord’s the Lord of them
And a friend will not say never
‘Cause the welcome will not end
Though it’s hard to let you go
In the Father’s hands we know
That a lifetime’s not too long
To live as friends.

“The welcome will not end.”

After all you have been through. After all you have done. After all the pain and confusion and regret. The welcome will not end.

The legalist group we knew believed it was good for believers to live in fear of God. “The fear of God,” they quoted, “is the beginning of wisdom.” Sinners should fear God and judgment and punishment. And, of course, even believers were sinners.

But we are not under law, now that we are in Christ. We are under grace, and our sins are washed away. No sin stains our hands or our souls. We are washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of Jesus! (1 Cor 6:11) Our relationship with God has been restored by the initiative and sacrifice of Jesus. There is no sin on our accounts.

A good relationship with a good friend or a loving relative means that the welcome does not end. Oh, believe me, we know about ended friendships. There are people we used to call friends who are no longer welcome in our home, nor would they come if invited. Earthly friendships still have the stuff of sin and the flesh in them. We know that some of them are believers and our relationship will be restored in Heaven. Until then, the stress remains.

But listen: that is never true of Jesus. You are in Him, and He is in you. He has committed Himself to you forever. Even when you wander, the welcome remains in place. At any time, you are welcome to return to the experience of your relationship with Him. The truth is that you have never been able to wander far from Him. You only feel like you have. Your flesh wants that separation, but it can never be. You are in Him, and He is in you.

Never judge your relationship with Jesus by your relationships with His people. Where sin and pain temporarily blind us to the good in our earthly friendships, there is neither in Jesus. He is only good. He has done all that is needed for us to have a right and good and loving relationship with the Father, one where the welcome will never end.

The love God has for you is deeper than the effect of any sin, stronger than any offense, and longer than eternity. You belong to Him. The Father’s heart is always open to you.

The welcome never ends.