October 23

Surely they will say of Me, ‘In the LORD alone are righteousness and strength.’” All who rage against Him will come to Him and be put to shame. — Isa 45:24 BSB

The Lord has made an absolute promise that “in the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.” And just as absolute is the accompanying promise, “To him shall men come.” But who gives them the will and the power to come? The Father Himself, as Jesus said, “No man can come to me except the Father who has sent me draws him.” But will the Father draw all the chosen vessels of mercy to Jesus? Surely He will, for the Lord also said, “It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught of God.’ Every man therefore that has heard and has learned of the Father comes unto me” (John 6:45).

Every act of faith in which you look to Jesus is a coming. Every glimmer of hope in His blood and righteousness is a coming. Every sigh, groan, or tear, every contrite feeling, every yearning of a broken heart, all of these are forms of coming to Him. Even if you don’t fully grasp or feel certain about the promise “Surely, shall one say, in the Lord have I righteousness and strength,” still, there is in your soul a divine work of coming, which gives you a saving interest in the second part of the promise, “Even to him shall men come.”

We cannot come unless we are drawn. “Draw me,” says the bride, “and we will run after you” (Song of Solomon 1:4). And the Lord declares, “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love, therefore with loving-kindness I have drawn you.” When we are drawn, then we come, and we cannot help but come. It is good to come, and even those who have already received Christ must continually come. We receive nothing but by coming. Our daily life of faith and hope is a life of continually coming. Our prayers are a continual coming. The language of the Church remains the same: “The Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that is thirsty come. And whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.” Thus, we must always be coming so that we may always be receiving, and everything that leads us to come contains an implied blessing. You will never come in vain, no matter who you are. For the Lord Himself said, “He who comes to me, I will in no way cast out.”