In His Name All Oppression Will Cease, Part 2

Last time, I wrote about how Jesus reaches out to and changes individuals. He makes these changes in us because he wants to correct us and complete us. He wants us to be completely capable of listening to him, learning from him,  loving him, and staying close to him in this life and in the life to come.

At the end of the last post, I raised these questions: does Jesus change communities and cultures? Why isn't this work of Jesus more obvious in the world?

Jesus changes individuals by invitation only. But everyone's invited. There's no expiration date for the invitation. Cultures and communities change because the individuals in those groups change. Jesus invites us to him, even if we are surrounded by others who have no interest in him. Jesus never leaves us as captives to our surroundings and our starting points. He never leaves us captive to where we happen to be at any point in time or space.

The invitation is an call to change and be changed.  It's not a call to self justification and self satisfaction. Jesus knows that's not our way forward, so he doesn't entertain it.

That's a tough message. Many won't accept it or live by it. But if you do, the rewards are deep, wide, timeless, and permanent.

If you are feeling oppressed and overwhelmed by any part of your life, accept his invitation to cease the oppression and live a life worth living. As the author of life, he can create for you a life worth living.

You aren't invited to go on the journey alone. As your spiritual shepherd, Jesus will guide you to the people, places, circumstances, and opportunities that will make your path a walkable, realistic, practical, sustainable, and meaningful one. Your only obligation is to entrust yourself to his directions and his guidance.

Why isn't this more obvious? Sadly, too many of us who know this truth are afraid to speak it, afraid to share it, and afraid to own it. That's a topic for next time.