4/9

John 6:44

⁴⁴"No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day."

The people listening to Jesus began to grumble because Jesus claimed to have come from heaven. They knew His parents and His brothers and sisters, but they didn't know about His virgin birth. Jesus told them to stop their grumbling and added our verse for today. The verse shows us the reality that Jesus understood, a reality the listeners could not comprehend. You can't come to Jesus by reason alone. God must draw your heart to Him at that perfect time in your life. If God isn't drawing you, you won't be able to receive what Jesus said. Those skeptic professors who sit around and try to decide with their limited knowledge which sayings in the Bible actually came from Jesus would reject this verse. The verse tells us why their endeavors are useless grumblings.

It isn't that God randomly chooses to draw some and reject others. We are all sinners (Romans 3:23). Jesus said when He would be lifted up, which meant crucified, He would draw all men to Himself (John 12:32). He draws us all at some point in our lives. We either accept the wooing of the Holy Spirit and come to Jesus, or we reject it, harden our hearts, and join the grumblers. Those who reject the drawing from God's cords of love resist this with their minds by making excuses to justify their choice.

We have seen that Jesus promised that those who come to Him will be satisfied and never be cast away. Now we see another promise. They will be raised up on the last day. Jesus said He would raise our bodies. Our spirits will be with Him when we die (Philippians 1:23), but on that last day He will transform our physical elements into eternal bodies to house our spirits (Philippians 3:21).

Consider: Do you remember when you realized Jesus was drawing you unto Him? Watch for that moment in others' lives so that you can be available to encourage them to make the right choice. Let them know about these promises.