“Whoever Comes To Me I Will Not Drive Away!”

“Whoever Comes To Me I Will Not Drive Away!”(Mk.10:13-16).
A group of diasporans decided to make a contribution to assist the people of their through the subchief. Out of excitement the subchief told the chief of the village. The chief told the donors that if the assistance is not passing through him, they should forget about it. About four years down the line, that assistance is still hanging because those diasporans insists that they won’t give the assistance through the chief. The chief seems not to be bothered that the would-be beneficiaries are in dire need of that assistance!
There are people who have lost great opportunities because somebody somewhere refused to append his/her signature as consent. Some students spend more than required years in some universities just because a lecturer out of selfish reasons continue to fail such students.
When we hear such stories of callous minds, we do not want to believe they are true; but victims are there with evidences and witnesses to corroborate!
Some henchmen have such tendencies that if you do not pass through them, you cannot get to their bosses. They decide who to see or not see the boss! They do not even seek the opinion of the boss before making their own decisions.
When people brought little children to Jesus that he should touch them, such overzealous henchmen rebuked them. By the estimation of these henchmen, the children and/or their parents were not in the category who qualified to see Jesus.
Since it is condidered that the king’s dog is the king of dogs, these henchmen held themselves in such high regard that they could just at their whims and caprices decide who was good or not good for their master’s attention!
Whoever takes the decision to see Jesus is because s/he is convinced that s/he has a need which only Jesus can satisfy. Jesus himself says, “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me…”(Jn.6:37-40).
Children too are among those whom the Father has given to Jesus. For as Peter says, “The promise is for you and your children and..,for all whom the Lord our God will call”(Acts 2:39).
Yes, children are part of the salvation history! Besides, children are in the kingdom until they grow up and are corrupted by youthfulness and adulthood. And until we have childlike innocence, simplicity and receptivity of gifts, we cannot inherit the kingdom.
So to say, the kingdom of God is a gift which cannot be achieved by human effort. It is only those who recognise their helplessness that can appreciate the value of such a gift. The kingdom of God can be entered only by those who recognise grace above merit.
Lessons: Our responsibility is to show the way to all who come to the Lord. It is not for us to decide who qualifies or not.
Above all, in kingdom matters we must appreciate grace over merit and mercy over law! The Lord Jesus Christ receives all who come to him for they have been sent by the Father; including even us who are now ushers determining who sees Jesus!
Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ thank you for opening your arms of love and receiving, touching and blessing even me. Amen!
Have a blessed day! Peace be with you!
Rev Babila Fochang.