3 Invitations from God for You
One of my favorite things is a beautiful invitation. Right? It’s so exciting to be invited to a special event. I remember when Steve and I were living in Sudan receiving an invitation to the US Ambassador’s house for Thanksgiving dinner! What an amazing event that was.
Psalm 95 offers us 3 beautiful invitations from God Himself! What a wonder! God Himself invites us to “come.” As with any invitation, they are only effective if you open them and RSVP. As we look at the chaotic state of our world at this present moment in history, I believe now more than ever it’s essential for us as followers of Jesus to respond to His beautiful invitations.
3 Invitations from God for You!
Come, Sing Praise to God. “Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD, let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation” (Psalm 95:1). God invites you to come into His presence and sing praise to Him. What a concept! Why? Is God some egotistical insecure being that He needs us to sing and praise Him? No. God knows that as you sing and praise Him, you are changed!
Did you know that singing has extraordinary health benefits for you? According to scientists, singing increases your memory, releases endorphins, lowers your stress levels, improves your communication skills, and strengthens your immune system. Wow! Who knew? In addition, scientists recently studied the effect that praising God through prayer has on a person’s brain. Using brain imaging, scientists have now discovered that there is an actual change in your brain chemistry when you praise and worship God. God knows that as you sing and praise Him, heaviness and anxiety will lift. Joy will fill your soul!
Next time you feel a bit anxious or down, turn on some worship music and bust out some tunes of praise to God. Don’t worry about how well you sing. God hears in perfect pitch. So, start singing and fill your body, soul, and spirit with the joy of the Lord.
Come before Him with Thanksgiving. “Let us come before Him with thanksgiving” (Psalm 95:2). Gratitude has been proven to increase your joy and decrease your anxiety. During a rough season of ministry, my husband, Steve, and I felt discouraged. So, we bought a journal that we now keep on our kitchen table. Every night at dinner each of us lists the top three blessings of our day. Exercising gratitude has lifted our spirits more times than I can tell you. Even when life feels dark, there is plenty to give thanks for.
If you are wrestling with what to give thanks for, look back and remember all the times God has provided for your needs. Remember all the times He sustained you when you felt you couldn’t go on. Remember all the times He healed you and remember how He continually offers you grace. Remembering has the power to wake up our thankful muscles!
Come, Enter His Rest. “Today if only you would hear his voice. Do not harden your hearts as you did in Meribah…They shall never enter my rest” (Psalm 95:7b, 11b). The children of Israel complained and grumbled against God at Meribah. They failed to trust God to provide for them. As a result, they were not allowed to enter the Promised Land, the place of God’s rest. Friend, God’s desire for you and I is that we relax and trust that He is good. In other words, we enter a place of deep-seated contentment and rest. When we grumble and complain, we fail to experience the rest that God has provided for us. Instead of complaining, focus your attention on the goodness of God and allow your body, soul, and spirit to relax. Practice relaxing in His goodness. It is the ultimate place of rest.