The Lord Visits Those Who Invite Him

[Mr. M]

Psalm 106:

3 Blessed are those who keep justice,
And does righteousness at all times!

4 Remember me, O Lord, with the favor You have toward Your people.
Oh, visit me with Your salvation,

5 That I may see the benefit of Your chosen ones,
That I may rejoice in the gladness of Your nation,
That I may glory with Your inheritance.

 

Job 10:

12 Thou hast granted me life and favor, and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit.

13 And these things hast thou hid in thine heart: I know that this is with thee.

 

Psalm 17:3 You have tested my heart;
You have visited me in the night;
You have tried me and have found nothing;
I have purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.

 

Jeremiah 15:

15 O Lord, You know;
Remember me and visit me,
And take vengeance for me on my persecutors.
In Your enduring patience, do not take me away.
Know that for Your sake I have suffered rebuke.
16 Your words were found, and I ate them,
And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart;
For I am called by Your name,
O Lord God of hosts.

 

1 Peter 2:

11 Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims,

abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, 

12 having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles,

that when they speak against you as evildoers, 

they may, by your good works which they observe,

glorify God in the day of visitation.

[Mr. M]

Psalm 25:

4 Show me Your ways, O Lord;
Teach me Your paths.
5 Lead me in Your truth and teach me,
For You are the God of my salvation;
On You I wait all the day.

6 Remember, O Lord, Your tender mercies and Your loving kindnesses,
For they are from of old.
7 Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions;
According to Your mercy remember me,
For Your goodness’ sake, O Lord.

8 Good and upright is the Lord;
Therefore He teaches sinners in the way.
9 The humble He guides in justice,
And the humble He teaches His way.
10 All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth,
To such as keep His covenant and His testimonies.

14 The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him,
And He will show them His covenant.
15 My eyes are ever toward the Lord,
For He shall pluck my feet out of the net.

16 Turn Yourself to me, and have mercy on me,
For I am desolate and afflicted.
17 The troubles of my heart have enlarged;
Bring me out of my distresses!
18 Look on my affliction and my pain,
And forgive all my sins.

[Mr. M]

12 hours ago, Mr. M said:

6 Remember, O Lord, Your tender mercies and Your loving kindnesses,
For they are from of old.
7 Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions;
According to Your mercy remember me,
For Your goodness’ sake, O Lord.

It ain't over til its over...

Isaiah 38:

1 In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death.

And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, went to him

and said to him, Thus says the Lord: Set your house in order,

for you shall die and not live.

2 Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall,

and prayed to the Lord, 

3 and said, Remember now, O Lord, I pray, how I have walked before You

in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what is good in Your sight.

And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

4 And the word of the Lord came to Isaiah, saying, 

5 Go and tell Hezekiah, Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father:

I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears;

surely I will add to your days fifteen years.

Edited August 28, 2024 by Mr. M

[Mr. M]

And those who do not...

Jeremiah 14:10 Thus saith the LORD unto this people,

 Thus have they loved to wander, they have not refrained their feet,

 therefore the LORD doth not accept them;

He will now remember their iniquity, and visit for their sins.

[Mr. M]

On 8/31/2024 at 1:34 AM, Mr. M said:

And those who do not...

Jeremiah 14:10 Thus saith the LORD unto this people,

 Thus have they loved to wander, they have not refrained their feet,

 therefore the LORD doth not accept them;

He will now remember their iniquity, and visit for their sins.

Jeremiah 15:

15 O Lord, You know;
Remember me and visit me,
And take vengeance for me on my persecutors.
In Your enduring patience, do not take me away.
Know that for Your sake I have suffered rebuke.
16 Your words were found, and I ate them,
And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart;
For I am called by Your name,
O Lord God of hosts.

[Vine Abider]

The Lord coming to those who invite Him seems to be a function of the free will agency He has given man.  That is, He will not violate our free will.

But I also think He arranges circumstances to bring pressure on men, so they will cry out to Him in despair.  This is a mercy and is shown multiple times in Revelation where the "heat" is turned up, but many will still not repent.

[Bruce_Leiter]

Also, he enables us by the Holy Spirit to invite him into our lives through the new birth (John 3). We can't invite him until God gives us new life from the dead (Ephesians 2:1-9).