I've been able to visit wonderful places: Grand Canyon, Yosemite, National Cathedral, Liberty Bell, Tower of London, Carlsbad Caverns, Badlands, and a great BBQ place in Lulling, Texas.There were strange places as well: Corn Palace in Mitchell, SD and Westminster Mansion in San Jose come to mind quickly...
I think I like best the places where I've been invited.
And I've been invited to some pretty memorable places in my life.
In college, I was invited to be part of a Federal Communications Commission petition on behalf of the state of Delaware. An ad hoc group gathered me up and took me along to their meeting in Washington DC. We were able to take a tour of the Senate Chambers. That reminds me of the one time in high school where I received a formal invitation (as a high school newspaper editor) to attend a Secretary of the Army press conference in the Pentagon. Both were great trips.
I like being invited to places. Invitations are great.
Perhaps one of the most enjoyable I invitations I had over the years was to be asked over for a simple but fun family dinner at one of the homes in Hollister, California. The Kliewers were a hoot to be around, always filling me (a single guy with no social life whatsoever) with solid stick-to-the-rib meals and great stories. I still remember the relaxing evenings we had. The Guerreros would invite me over for a no-nonsense Mexican dinner which still makes my mouth water in memory. Quesadillas, tacos, refried beans, tostadas...
Then there was the older gentleman in Fresno CA who met me at the church and took me to a Greek restaurant and let me pick and choose anything off of the menu. I remember the deep conversations we had while dining on halvas, lamb, artichokes and thick coffee.
It's a grand thing to be invited.
And that's what I like about this omnipotent Lord of ours: God is a God of Invitation!
Am I wrong? Take a look at Isaiah 1:18.
Then read Isaiah 55:1.
And then we remember that Jesus Himself said "Come unto Me and I will give you rest?"
God invited Noah into the ark, where He was. Isn't that a great picture of salvation?
Best of all, look at Revelation 22:17. You know the qualifications for coming to Him? You must be thirsty and you must be willing. That's it. He's a God of Invitation.
