Invitations

You are cordially invited!

Do you remember receiving an invitation as a child? Perhaps it was a friend’s birthday party—the one you practically counted down to all year. That small card carried a thrill of excitement, the quiet honour of being chosen, and a deep sense of belonging. Yet, no matter how eagerly you awaited that special invite, you never had full control over whether it would arrive. In a sense, you were truly at the mercy of someone else’s decision.

Life itself extends a similar kind of invitation—one we don't get to choose. We're simply born into a family, a community, a unique context. None of us had a say in who our parents would be or where we’d grow up. This first invitation into the world shapes who we become and what we experience, in countless ways.

Yet there is another invitation—one radically different, intentionally given, and one you have complete freedom to choose. It's the invitation into God’s very own family. As John, the writer of the gospel, beautifully put it, we are invited to become "children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God" (John 1:13, NIV).

This second invitation is powerful precisely because it's entirely your choice. God invites, but never forces. He calls gently, persistently, to your heart. And you alone must respond. This invitation isn’t merely to believe intellectually—it’s to behold. To wonder. To participate fully in the boundless life of God.

Throughout Scripture, invitations continually shape the narrative from beginning to end. From God’s invitation to Abraham to Jesus’ simple yet life altering call, “Come, follow me,” the invitation into God’s family is not merely a one-time decision but a daily commitment to love the One who first loved us. Jesus demonstrated what this kind of life looks like: a life steeped in recurring solitude and communion with those around him and those far away, filled with God’s authority and power. This is the life we have been invited into—a life truly lived in Christ.

Yet invitations, by their very nature, require a choice. One of the early church's most influential leaders, Paul, wrote a letter to a church community outlining the two distinct paths: the way of the Spirit and the way of the flesh. The flesh represents our broken nature—self-seeking, driven by immediate desires that often leave us empty, isolated, or hurt. Ultimately, choosing the path of the flesh leads to fractured relationships, internal discord, and a restless search for satisfaction (Galatians 5:19–21). Paul’s warnings remain strikingly relevant today, visible in strained relationships, digital obsessions, and hurried, restless souls searching for satisfaction.

But there is hope. Paul vividly describes another path: the Spirit-led life. The life Jesus embodied produces love, joy, peace, patience, and self-control (Galatians 5:22–23). It fosters healthy relationships, renewed purpose, and genuine freedom. Choosing this path, however, requires intention. It’s a daily, moment-by-moment invitation—first to know God more deeply, then to remember, and to say yes to God’s ways over our own impulses, again and again.

This invitation Jesus offers isn’t just a nice theory or a vague spiritual concept—it’s deeply practical. It shapes how we handle conflicts at work, speak to our families, and respond under stress. Each act of forgiveness, generosity, or quiet prayer amidst chaos is a deliberate choice to accept God’s invitation to live differently—deeply rooted in His love.

Perhaps you’ve known this invitation your whole life, or maybe you’re encountering it clearly for the very first time. Maybe you’ve walked closely with God before, or perhaps you’re simply searching for something real. Either way, this invitation is for you—to return, to remember, to trust, and to wonder again.

As we continue to explore this rich invitation, we’ll uncover more about who God truly is, why this transformation matters for every part of your life, and how you can practically embrace this Spirit-led reality.

So, consider this your invitation—your opportunity to step deeper into the heart of God.

Pull up a chair.

Take your time.

Because this is one invitation you can’t afford to miss.