Jesus as Invitation

One of the old hymns I learned as a Southern Baptist child was "Jesus calls us o'er the tumult."  We have two tunes for in our hymnal at #549 and #550.  Neither are the tune I learned to sing.   The words work no matter:

Jesus calls us; o'er the tumult

of our life's wild, restless sea;

day by day His sweet voice soundeth,

saying, "Christian, follow me."

Jesus calls us from the worship

of the vain world's golden store,

from each idol that would keep us,

saying, "Christian, love me more."

In our joys and in our sorrows,

days of toil and hours of ease,

still He calls, in cares and pleasures,

"Christian, love me more than these."

Jesus calls us-- by Thy mercies,

Savior, may we hear Thy call;

give our hearts to Thine obedience,

serve and love Thee best of all.

The image of Jesus calling is a powerful one for me because it has been so much a part of my understanding for years.  It is the one that gets me to be constantly reminding us that following him is as much or more of what we should be doing as worshipping him.

In this Sunday's gospel, the complaint Jesus returns to those who cry about his and his disciples' hygiene is to quote Isaiah's prophetic critique that "in vain do they worship me." (Isaiah 29:13)  He is not at this point issuing an invitation to follow him but he is clearly indicating that worship is not enough.  Indeed because worship may be hijacked by pretence and power we must always check our hearts.

For sure following Jesus can be just as undone by human competition and pettiness.  Remember how the disciples argued over who was greatest.  But seeing Jesus as inviting us to follow, especially over tumults and toil clears a path for our hearts that the concerns for regularity and order in worship may obstruct or misdirect.

Jesus calls us over difficulties he has already confronted.  Jesus calls us through our own struggles.  Jesus calls us even as we create our own stumbling blocks and distractions.   Jesus calls us to give our hearts to love and service.  Jesus calls us saying "Christian, follow me."