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
DD = Dedicated
Discipleship: Come grow
in the Lord with us
