Come.
Several phrases enter my mind when I think of the word, “come”. Strangely, they all revolve around songs.
(Yes, that’s how my mind works. Songs. Well, that and movie quotes.)
Come, now is the time to worship!
Come, now is the time to give your heart.
Come, just as you are to worship!
Come, just as you are before your God…
Come!
All who are thirsty
And all who are weak
Come to the fountain
Dip your heart in the stream of life.Let the pain and the sorrow
Be washed away
In the waves of His mercy
As deep cries out to deep.We sing
Come, Lord Jesus, come.
Come, Lord Jesus, come.
Great worship songs, both.
But that’s not all of the lyrics running around in my head.
O come, all ye faithful,
Joyful and triumphant.
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem!Come and behold Him,
Born the King of Angels!O come, let us adore Him.
O come, let us adore Him.
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord!
What did you expect? Christmas season is here. And I love Christmas music. Just not whiny hick country versions of Christmas music. (Ask Nancy about that.)
One more song running through my head, and it’s gonna strike you as odd.
Trust me. I’m not sure why it’s in my head either. But it is.
Here’s a version on YouTube. You’ve gotta hear this one, not just read the lyrics.
Yes, that’s “Come and Go with Me”, performed by the Del-Vikings, 1957.
No, I’m not that old. But I do remember hearing it in “Stand by Me”. (Confession… even had the soundtrack as a kid.)
Come and go with me.
You see, of all the songs in my head, a 1957 Doo-Wop classic encapsulates the essence of “come”.
Come is an invitation. It’s personal. It’s, “Hey, check this out.” It’s, “Hey, spend some time with me.”
It’s what Jesus does. He bids us, “Come.”
Jesus never says, “Do this, and I’ll love you.” Never once, “Give this money, and I’ll accept you.” There’s never a, “Straighten up your act and I might associate with you.”
He invites all of us to “Come.”
“Follow me.” “Trust me.” “Believe in me.” “Do as I do.” “Live as I live.”
Come.
And be with me.
Come.
Won’t you?
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NOTE: This the second “blog carnival” I’ve participated in, where everyone writes about the same word (obviously this time it was “come”). Check out some of the other posts linked here to read more thoughts triggered by authors writing about this word. Thanks to Peter Pollock for putting this together.
This is a terrific post, John! Its having the unintended (at least in my mind it is) effect of causing me to analyze everything the organized church does, that smacks of “IF you will/THEN you can”. Beyond the pure gospel and faith.
Well done.
And incidentally, I AM that old. I was in college in 1957.
Yes, excellent post. How many of us at Christmas forget to look for those opportunities to offer Jesus’ invitation, “Come,” to someone outsde the box.
“…This is the peace of which the shepherds heard.
“Glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace, goodwill toward men.”
…This peace offer still stands today. In the final invitation of the New Testament, it is offered to all:
I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.
And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
… Everyone who hears this should say, “Come!”
If you are thirsty, come! If you want life-giving water, come and take it. It’s free!
… Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.”
The conclusion from Oh Holy Night: The Peace of 1914
http://sdcougar.startlogic.com/blog/?p=155