Come As You Are

“and you return to the Lord your God and obey His voice, according to all that I command you today, you and your children, with all your heart and with all your soul, that the Lord your God will bring you back from captivity, and have compassion on you, and gather you again from all the nations where the Lord your God has scattered you.” (Deuteronomy 30:2-3 NKJV)

How does God react to the returned sinners? No matter how man went far away from God and how deep he fell down, it could be recovered with just one condition, which is repentance and contrition. Is it not the good news? There is no one left without hope in Christ. It is also true that there is no hope unless he repents and changes his mind and attitude. Reading and understanding the stories of the people of Israel after the deliverance out of the slavery of Egypt, we wonder how could they keep on complaining over and over again. However, it is true that they complained about the circumstances, blessings, and even authority.

It seems almost to be mysterious for such a nation whose inheritance was rich and blessed as the descendants of Patriarch Abraham to be fallen and lost like the unbelieving pagans. Look just what happened for them in Egypt, the wonders and signs which no one could perform than God Himself. They were right there in the midst of the supernatural plagues inflicted so intensely and heavily upon the Egyptians. They even walked through the Red Sea just like a dry land as God rolled up the waters and made stand still until they passed through. But when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were all drowned and no more. They were even guided and protected by the strange cloud by day and the fire by night. That indicates obviously the presence of the Jehovah God in their midst. Daily provisions were faithfully fallen from heaven above, the manna forty years.

Nevertheless, they were always behaving like nothing happened to them at all. They were in slavery four centuries. Under the yoke and enslavement of King Pharaoh and many generations passed, they forgot their identity as the descendants of the patriarchs. They not only complained about everything, but also they wanted to go back to Egypt, the land of slavery. This shows the exact picture and pattern of Christians who are experiencing barrenness and drabness in the life of faith. This is our experience exactly. They just sustain the lives because of the grace and mercy of God and thus are not satisfied in full. This is the most difficult lesson for Christians to learn, saying “Why am I not satisfied although I serve God, going to church, singing hymns, and giving offerings?”

However, there is always hope in God who forgets everything when they return to the Lord because He is able to blot out the stains of sin with the blood of Christ. When an adulterous woman was brought to Jesus by the accusers, He commanded to stone her from the one who is without sin. Then, being convicted in heart, one by one beginning with the oldest all went out. There was Jesus left alone and the woman standing in the midst. Jesus saw her and said, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” (John 8:11) All her sins are forgiven by the word of Jesus. From now one, sin no more, says Jesus. That’s the good news. All people can start a whole new life by the faith in Christ Jesus. The Samaritan woman did. The demon-possessed man did. The disciples did and even Paul. There are thousands and thousands of thousands who have found the new life in Christ Jesus.

Jesus invites all people to come unto Him and drink the real food out of rivers of living water. God knows that we are heavy laden and weary. So, He offers us the true rest by coming back to Him with contrite heart and thanksgiving. We don’t need to clean ourselves first and then come to Him. As a matter of fact, no one can clean himself by any means. Only the blood of Christ can cleanse and wash away our sins. Therefore, come unto Christ just as you are.

Ye who are troubled and burdened by sin,
Come just as you are;
Come to the Savior, a new life begin,
Oh, come just as you are.

Come just as you are,
Oh, come just as you are;
Give up your sin, let the Savior come in,
And come just as you are.