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Not Rejected


I think we could spend hours, if not days, in just the sixth chapter of John’s Gospel. If there is one thing that is made clear in this writing is that God is passionately pursuing us and bidding us to have a relationship with Him that is restored by His Son, Jesus. 

There is one verse, in particular, that stands out to me. John 6:37, “However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them.” Those that come to Jesus will never be rejected. If you come to Jesus, just as you are now, he will not turn you away. He gladly welcomes you to come to him. 

It is not God’s design or plan that we live separated from Him. He makes the way for that relationship to happen. He initiated the plan. He paid the price. He gives freely. He gives us free-will to choose or reject that offer of reconciliation through Jesus, His Son. 

God makes His intent clear: 

Ezekiel 33:11, “As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of wicked people. I only want them to turn from their wicked ways so they can live. Turn! Turn from your wickedness, O people of Israel! Why should you die?” 

2 Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” 

This is what makes the stories of Zacchaeus, the prodigal son, the vineyard workers (Matthew 20:1-16), and many other parables an overwhelming message to us that God does not want us to live without him now or in eternity. It is overwhelming to think of the extent God will go in order to reach you, to grab your attention, and reveal himself. He wants you to know how much he loves you. 

There’s nothing preventing you from reconciling your life back to God through Jesus. There is nothing we have done in our lives that could prevent that from happening. I do find it comforting to know that when God sent his Son, Jesus, to save the world from sin (John 3:16), that he already factored in all my sins, mistakes, disasters, back-sliding, and every dark thing my heart could muster. 

The blood of Jesus shed on the cross covers it all. Romans 5:8, “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” God initiated his plan first. He doesn’t wait for us to get our “act together” before he’ll accept us. He won’t put us on a 30-day trial period to see if we can handle being a Christian. He takes us the moment we come to him. 

God has made it possible for you to come to him. The question is, then, will you go? We need to understand that God is not going to force us to come to him. He wants us to make that decision and to come to him willingly. We must make that decision to believe by faith. John 6:47, “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes has eternal life.” 

We must realize our sinfulness has broken our relationship with God and that Jesus, his Son, is the only one who can repair that relationship for us. We all fall short (Romans 3:23), so we all face this decision in life. We are all born into sin and all need the redeeming work of Jesus Christ in our life. 

Sometimes, we have a tendency to complicate things that are simple. We question how such a priceless gift as eternal life is already paid for and is “free” to us just by asking. It is pretty clear that Romans 10:9, “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” If you choose Jesus, he will not reject you (John 6:37). 

He will not reject you, but help you. He will send the Holy Spirit into your life to help you become stronger in faith and more like him. If you have truly believed in Jesus Christ and put your faith in Him, you can expect God to start transforming you. The old ways of sin that you used to relish are going to fade, and the new life you live in Christ will dominate your passions. 2 Corinthians 5:17, “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” 

Remember, every sinful thing you have done in life was already factored into the equation when God sent Jesus to die for the sins of the world. Nothing is preventing you from coming to back to God through Jesus Christ. He will not reject you. In fact, he will gladly welcome you back! 

Luke 15:20, “So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.” No rejection there! No rejection for you, either! Wherever you are right now, may you truly understand how desperately God, the Father, wants a relationship with you. He does not reject you. So, go!

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