Compelled

The parable of the great supper in Luke 14:16-24 is interesting to me. What has most caught my attention is verse 23. I understand the first part of the parable to be a picture of how God had bid the prominent of Israel to come to Him. He sent His servant (Holy Spirit) to tell them everything was ready, yet they had “better” things to do, therefore they were rejected. Then God sent His servant (Holy Spirit) to the lowly of Israel. They were bid, or called to come and they did, yet there was still room. So God sent His servant (Holy Spirit) out into the highways and hedges…I take that to be outside Israel (to the Gentiles).  What caught my attention is the choice of words used in verse 23. It says, “Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them.”  

I haven’t looked up the Greek word that is translated into our English word “compel”, but I have looked up what the English word “compel” means. It is a most strong word. According to Webster’s 1828 Dictionary, the word “compel” means to drive or urge with force, or irresistibly; to constrain; to oblige; to necessitate,  either by physical or moral force; to urge with irresistible power, or with a power sufficient to produce the effect.

I inquired of a friend what he thought that verse meant. He thought it had to do with evangelism and us strongly urging people to Christ. As Christians we are His servants and we are to be a witness for Christ. We can tell other people of Christ, but can we compel them? We cannot irresistibly force anyone to come to Christ. I can urge, but I cannot force.

That is why I believe the servant in this parable is a picture of the Holy Spirit. Looking back to the time when you were saved (assuming you are saved), did you feel compelled by the Holy Spirit to come to Christ?

The word of God tells us that when we were in the flesh or unregenerate, we were at enmity with God.

Romans 8:5-8

5  For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. .

6  For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

7  Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

8  So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

Enmity is defined as the quality of being an enemy; the opposite of friendship; ill will; hatred; unfriendly dispositions; malevolence; denoting a fixed or rooted hatred. When we were lost and unregenerate, we were the enemy of God. We hated God. We wanted nothing to do with God. For some it was blatantly apparent. For others it was subtle.  Either way, it was a deep rooted hatred for God.

How was it that our deep rooted hatred for God was overcome? Did we one day decide to turn from our hatred and embrace the One we were enemies with?

Isaiah 64:6-7

6   But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, lie the wind, have taken us away.

 7  And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities.

Psalm 14:2-3

2  The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.

3  They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

As I understand these two passages found in Isaiah and Psalm, I would have to say that we did not one day turn from our enmity against God of our own free will. I suggest that Jesus was telling us in Luke 14:23 that the Holy Spirit was sent to compel us to Christ. I believe those of us who have been saved were  urged with irresistible power, or with a power sufficient to produce the effect. The effect was us coming to Christ. Had the Holy Spirit not compelled us we would never have come to Him on our own.  I believe the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of a person is irresistible…and why would anyone want to resist Him?

Psalm 65:4

Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple.

Psalm 110:3

Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.

I believe God chooses to save whom He will and He causes whom He will to come to Him willingly. Those who reject God and His Son the Lord Jesus Christ have never been compelled by the Holy Spirit.

John 6:37-39

37  All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

38  For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.

39  And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.

Psalm 103

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits

When I grow up

When I was in school, I had a cassette tape that had a song on it entitled something like, “When I grow up.”  When children are young, most of them want to grow up and be like their parents. This song was written by an adult who was singing to the Lord and basically saying, “When I grow up, Lord, I want to be just like you.”  I only remember a few verses of the song. As best as I can remember it went like this…

When I grow up, I want to be just like You.

I want to learn to love the way You do.

I’d like for people to say with a smile,

He’s surely his Father’s child.

And, when I grow up, I want to be just like You.

I don’t know why that has stuck in my head all these years. Sometimes I sing those few verses to my children. With that song in my head, the past few days I have been musing…for those of us who had to look that word up it means meditating in silence. There are some thoughts and verses that have been running through my mind like deer through the forest on opening day of deer season. Let’s see if I can catch them and put them in an order that makes sense.

The other day I was “discussing,” or should I say “fussing,” about the state of our financial affairs. I was in the middle of a heated speech to my wife about how I am going to have to take on a second job and work all the overtime I could just to make ends meet. As I was bubbling forth my nonsense, the Holy Spirit impressed upon me to watch my children. There they were running through the house, chasing each other, totally oblivious to the state of our financial affairs. They were laughing and playing and living life.

I was reminded how we as Christians are to have a faith like that of a child. My precious children didn’t and don’t have a care in the world. When they get hungry, they know Mom or Dad will prepare them a meal. When they have a need, they know Mom and Dad will do everything they can to meet that need. They completely trust us.

Christ said in Matthew 18…

Matthew 18:3  And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

            We are to become as little children. Isn’t that about right? I spend my whole life trying to grow up and become mature and handle all my problems on my own and the Lord tells me I must become as a child. Truly His ways are not my ways and His thoughts are not my thoughts!  His ways and thoughts are higher than I could ever attain unto in my flesh.

            I watched my children and the Holy Spirit impressed upon my soul my need to be more like them in that I needed to depend completely on my Heavenly Father as my children depend on me. When they are scared they cry out for Daddy. When they are hungry, they cry out for Mommy. When they are hurt they cry for Mommy or Daddy. They know when they have a cut or scrape that Daddy will get out his favorite first aid pouch and will doctor them up. They know that Mommy will turn on the stove and cook them a meal when they are hungry. They know that Daddy will protect them when they are scared. How much more will our Heavenly Father, who loves us perfectly, provide for us and take care of us?

When I grow up…I want to be just like my children. I want to trust my Heavenly Father the way they trust me.

As I was thinking this thought, I was still rambling on to my wife about how I am going to have to take on a second job…I didn’t know I could do two things at once. I can think about one thing and be talking about something else at the same time?!

I was telling my wife how I would get a second job and work from 8am to 4pm at my regular job, then I would have enough time to get home, eat and head off to a second job and work part-time from 5pm to 9pm. Even as I said such foolishness, my spirit was convicted and my wife’s response confirmed my foolishness.

The Lord has been impressing upon me the absolute importance of me (being the daddy) teaching my children of the Lord. If I work two jobs, sure we would have more money, but when would I have time open the word of God and read to my children and teach them of the Lord? I wouldn’t.

John 6:27  Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for the meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you; for him hath God the Father sealed.

As the husband and father of my family, I am to provide a living for them. By the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ I can and do. However, there are things in this life more important than living a financially comfortable life. There was a time when I made twice what I do now and it was the most miserable time of my life. I worked long hours and was not at home as much as I needed to be. Now finances are getting tighter, but there has not been one time when we have had a need that has not been met.

Matthew 6:25-33

25  Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

26  Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

27  Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

28  And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

29  And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

30  Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which is to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

31  Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, what shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32  (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

How many times have I read this and soon forgot? How many more times will the Lord remind me of these truths? He will remind me as often as it takes. I am thankful that He is patient with His own.

Oh, that I could be like the Apostle Paul who said…

Philippians 4:11-13

11  Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

12  I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

13  I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

I am thankful the Lord reminds me of the truths found in His word. Before I could finish my speech to my wife, the conviction of the Holy Spirit came. Once again I had been trusting in my own ability to meet the needs of my family rather than trusting in the Lord God Almighty. Through the word of God, the wisdom from my wife, and the worry free life of my children, the Holy Spirit put me back on track. Though having breathing room financially would be nice, it is not the most important thing I can do for my family. The most important thing I can do is point them to Christ and lead them in the way everlasting.