How does God bring us to Jesus? Part 1 of 2

“God puts people into our lives who lead us to Jesus,” says Maggie, 11. “They may show his love by hugging, helping them out, telling them that God loves them, and being kind to them.”

It’s humbling to consider that God can use any Christian to usher someone into God’s eternal kingdom. The Apostle Paul wrote that all Christians are ambassadors for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20).

Jesus said, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:44).

Both Jesus and God the Father are in the drawing business, but they often use people as heaven’s ambassadors to aid in this process.

Jesus also said, “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to myself” (John 12:32).

“God can make bad stuff happen to people so they run to Jesus,” says Caleb, 10.

A soldier once said that there are no atheists in foxholes. Sometimes we find ourselves in situations beyond our control. God’s desire is for us to come to the end of our own limited resources. He wants to be our provision.

God is masterful at getting our attention. He will never coerce us to believe in Jesus for our salvation, but he sure will try to get our attention. Often, through our own bad decisions, we suffer. Whether it’s emotional or physical suffering, we realize our smallness and need.

The Bible portrays God as a lover who is wooing us into a relationship with himself. Yes, he is all powerful, but his love is not coercive.

Jesus lamented over Jerusalem when he said, “How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!” (Matthew 23:37).

God’s will and desire was to have all the people in Jerusalem believe in Jesus as their messiah and savior. Even though God is all powerful and sovereign, he is also a lover who imposes upon himself the limitations that any lover has toward the object of his affection.

Forced love is a contradiction. To use a cliché, it takes two to tango. Jesus doesn’t tango by himself. All his partners are willing. There’s a dance between God’s will and our will. Some want to portray God’s will as so absolute that our will is only an illusion. Others want to advocate that our will can override God’s will in areas where he rules.

God asks everyone to dance. He is constantly drawing all people to himself. I’m blessed to live on the beach where I see people stare at God’s artistry of incredible sunrises. The Apostle Paul wrote that God’s drawing and wooing from creation alone is such so that people can’t say they didn’t have an opportunity to know God.

“For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,” (Romans 1:20).

Think about this: If people respond to God’s general invitation to know him through creation, you can be sure he will reveal himself though his only son, who died, rose from the dead and offers eternal life to all who will believe in him alone as their savior.

Memorize this truth: John 12:32 previously quoted.

Ask these questions: Have you accepted God’s invitation to dance? Will you believe in Jesus Christ as your only hope for heaven?

— Carey Kinsolving