Come to Him

Today’s Gospel Text:  No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. 45 It is written in the prophets, 'And they shall all be taught by God.' Every one who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me. 46 Not that any one has seen the Father except him who is from God; he has seen the Father. 47 Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that a man may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live for ever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh." John 6:44-51

Reflection: Can we safely say; the Father seeks to draw all men and not all men are in a state of readiness to receive the grace of the Father at work in them.

Thus you have Jesus' statement which is more specific: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.”

Some men put up a block by virtue of their generational sin, which they tend to carry on as they continue to walk in the folly of their parents and ancestors:

"I will not keep silent, but I will repay, yea, I will repay into their bosom their iniquities and their fathers' iniquities together.” Isa 65:6-7

    

"But if this man begets a son who sees all the sins which his father has done, and fears, and does not do likewise ……….  withholds his hand from iniquity, takes no interest or increase, observes my ordinances, and walks in my statutes; he shall not die for his father's iniquity; he shall surely live.” Ezek 18:14-17

Thus you have some who continue to walk in all kinds of wickedness closing their hearts to truth and wisdom

  

Then you have the kind who would not want to forgive but will hold on to their hurts, bitterness and unforgiveness:

“But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”  Matt 6:15

Finally we have a category which having known the power of God and having known his revelation may harden their hearts and fail to render him the thanks that is due his name.  

“For although they knew God they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but ………. therefore God gave them up ………. “Rom. 1:21 – 32

And among these you may have a category that follow the Lord at various stages and then fall apart (cfr. The parable of the sower and the seed:  Mt. 13: 3-30; Mk. 4:3-20; Lk. 8;5-15)

Prayer:  Lord, I want to assert today: “but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." Josh 24:21

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