2 Corinthians 6:1-2 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)
1 Working together with Him, we also appeal to you: “Don’t receive God’s grace in vain.” 2 For He says:
In an acceptable time, I heard you,
and in the day of salvation, I helped you.
Look, now is the acceptable time; look, now is the day of salvation.
Most assuredly Christians do struggle with decisions during the invitation time. But I think that the greatest battles happen in the hearts and minds of those who do not know Christ yet as their Savior. There is a struggle there with the devil that makes Sunday afternoon football look like a love feast. For when a person begins to struggle with accepting the grace of God for their sin Satan puts on a full frontal attack. He will pull out all the stops to keep you from receiving the grace of God.
It is important to know that God has heard you when you were lost and that he has helped you. Paul, quoting from Isaiah, has called it the time of God’s favor, that is to say God’s acceptable time. When God has desired he has heard your cry for help and he has offered salvation to you. You should know that if you are battling with salvation it is because God has called you. Ultimately, you don’t go to church because of someone else’s invitation, you go strictly because of the work of God in your life and you need to know that it is God who is calling to you and it is God who is urging you to receive the gift of grace he offers in the person of Jesus Christ. And since it is God calling you, make the right decision. You are being called by him in his time. This is the acceptable time. It is acceptable because there may not be another time. It is acceptable because he has proclaimed it so. Trust Him today. Today is the day to trust God.
When the invitation begins on Sunday morning, if you haven’t trusted God, you need to be the first one walking down the aisle to meet with the pastor. If you are already a Christian but are under conviction from God about something in your life, make your way to the altar and spend some time settling matters with Him. If you are a Christian you might also remember that there are some in the congregation who are not believers and are undergoing a massive spiritual battle. Pray for them earnestly. Remember your own spiritual struggles. Go to the Lord on their behalf.
Is there a decision you need to make today? Is there something that needs to happen on this Sunday morning?
What a powerful message this morning…the Holy Spirit was at work…time to leave behind whatever it is keeping you from God’s grace. Whether a previous bad experience in church, personal hard times, relationship problems, bad habits, etc. The love of God reaches to you wherever you are and invites you to come to Him. Whether you think you don’t need saving or think you are too far gone for God to save, give Him a chance…you will be surprised and in awe of what He has for you.