287. Plead with us
Ezekiel 20:34, 35 And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face. Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith the Lord God.
God promises to plead with us. Interesting. What does this mean? It means He pleads with to believe Him, to trust Him, to love Him, to worship Him alone. It does not mean that Jesus and the Spirit plead for us. He does do this, but that’s not the meaning here. It does not mean that we will plead with God. We do that, but that’s not the meaning here. No, the Lord is pleading with us, and He will plead with us always and ever.
This is an intriguing way to read the Scriptures: read the Bible like it is a revelation of how the Lord God is pleading with us, even begging us on bended knee. He simply says: “Trust Me. Please. Believe that I am good. Know that I love you. Feel how much I yearn for you. Receive My eternal forgiveness. Take My yoke. Cast your burdens upon Me. Talk to Me. Seek My face. Come into My presence, enjoy My love,” and on and on. If we read God’s invitations and promises as begging and pleading with us, we will have a whole different perspective on the truth about who God is and who I am. God is perfect love and He loves me perfectly. God is great and I am special. I am sought out. I am waited for. Ask the Spirit to reveal to you the sight of the Prodigal’s Father, waiting by the front gate begging and pleading, “Come home!” And when we do, we may jump into His arms and have a party.
God has allowed us, nay, caused us, to live in the wilderness of the world, a long way from comfort and safety and protection and provision and from home and from the Father’s loving arms. But it is just there, there in the wilderness of the world, where He pleads with us. In the desert of life He comes and does mighty works and wonders of Salvation. He pleads with us by means of the Red Sea, the manna, the water, and by means of answered prayer again and again. He pleads daily with the Blood of the Son of God. He begs with the Gospel of Grace. See it. Hear it. Believe it. Receive it. Live it. Enjoy it. The “hound of heaven” is pleading every day, and He won’t stop. Hear the words of Jesus, “Come unto me.” The Father will draw you with cords of love.