105. Drawn to Jesus
John 12:32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
This may not sound like a promise, but it is a wonderful promise that Jesus will draw all men unto Him. He had earlier said that the Father draws us to Jesus. We are drawn to God with cords of love. The love of God is a powerful magnet.
The Gospel of John comments in the next verse that Jesus is showing by what kind of death He was going to die: He would be lifted from the earth a couple of feet on the cross. That lifting on the cross and then dying is the exhibition of the Love of God that would draw all men to Him. The Cross reveals in the clearest of ways how much love the Father has for all. Jesus shows His love in how He lays down His life for His friends by being lifted up on the cross.
The promise is that this revealed love of God, this act of dying for the sins of all, this substitutionary death will draw us to Him. God’s mode of operation is to never force or coerce anyone, but it is to draw with love. When we see the love of Jesus displayed in His death and we understand the meaning we are gently drawn to such a powerful grace and mercy. This love can be resisted, for if it could not be resisted it would not be genuine, freely given, love; but who would ever want to resist such a powerful love? The promise is that we will be drawn with love, not coerced by power or overwhelmed with might; the drawing is not against our will. And once we are secured in God’s Love we would never let go. We love Him because He first loved us; and we can only pray to comprehend the height, depth, width and length of the love of Christ.
Although God deals in holy wrath and just judgments, He promises to deal with us by drawing with love.