An Open Invitation—Gentle and Lowly, Part 1
An Open Invitation—Gentle and Lowly, Part 1
I feel like one of the most joy-inducing questions you can hear from friends at the end of a visit—especially if you’ve been there a few days and, like fish, you most likely “stink”—is, “When can you come back?” It means they’re glad to be with you and long to be with you again. You have an open invitation.
This thought makes me smile often as I gather with a small group of friends for Morning Prayer several days a week. The first thing that happens in The Daily Office after confessing our sin, and being reminded of God’s invincible and inexhaustible absolution, is the “recitation as reminder” of an open invitation from God to us; The Venite (a.k.a. Psalm 95). Venite is Latin for the first two words of the Psalm, “O come...”. We’re responding to an open invitation. God is glad to be with us!
This is not a small thing.
When you look for them, you’ll find these kinds of invitations throughout the Scriptures. It’s not surprising then, that when Jesus sought to describe his heart’s essence to his followers (the one and only time this happens in the Gospels), he embedded it in an open invitation: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
I look forward to opening this invitation with you Sunday.
Steve+
The Book
“Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers” by Dane Ortlund is the book we’ll be working our way through over the next few months, and the study content of our Small Groups this spring. We’d like everyone to read it! You can purchase it at church this Sunday, or buy it on Amazon.
Don’t Have Time?
Don’t have time to read a book right now? Try this excellent 14-day devotional from Gentle and Lowly. A number of people have also asked about recommendations for Lenten devotionals…this would be a very good place to begin.
Second Sunday Sandwiches—next Sunday following worship.
Redeemer Vestry—next Sunday following Second Sunday Sandwiches.
Joy Together Sunday—March 26. Click here to find out more.
Baptisms—Easter Sunday, April 9
If you or one (or more) of your children have not been baptized and you would like to find out more about doing so, contact Steve Wishart: steve@redeemerannapolis.org
Maundy Thursday Service—April 6, 6:30PM
Good Friday Service—April 7, 6:30PM
Holy Saturday Service—April 8, noon on Zoom
Picture credit: Toa Heftiba on Unsplash