HELPING PEOPLE TO DRAW CLOSE TO JEHOVAH

Whom Does Jehovah Draw?

Jehovah draws to himself and to his Son those seeking Him.  (Acts 17:27) These include people who "are sighing and groaning over all the detestable things that are being done "in Christendom and, in fact, throughout the world.  (Ezekiel 9:4) They are "conscious of their spiritual need."  (Matthew 5:3) Indeed, they are the "meek ["humble,"]  ones of the earth," who will reside on the paradise earth forever. -Zephaniah 2:3.

Jehovah can read a person's heart.  King David told his son Solomon:  "All hearts Jehovah is searching, and every inclination of the thoughts he is discerning.  If you search for him, he will let himself be found by you." (1 Chronicles 28:9)  Ont the basis of an individual's heart condition and spirit, or dominant attitude, Jehovah can see whether he or she is likely to respond to divine provisions for the forgiveness of sins and the hope of everlasting life in God's righteous new system.  (2 Peter 3:13)  By means of his Word, preached and taught by his Witnesses, Jehovah draws to himself and to his Son 'all those who are rightly disposed for everlasting life,' and these 'become believers.' -Acts 13:48.

Does Jehovah's drawing of some and not others involve a form of predestination?  Absolutely not! God's drawing of people is contingent on their own aspirations.  He respects their free will.  Jehovah places before earth's inhabitants today the same choice that set before the Israelites over 3,000 years  ago, when Moses said:  "I do put before you today life and good, and death and bad . . . I do take the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you today, that I have put life and death before you, the blessing and the malediction; and you must choose life in order that you may keep alive, you and your offspring, by loving Jehovah your God, by listening to his voice and by sticking to him; for he is your life and the length of your days." -Deuteronomy 30:15-20.

Notice that the Israelites were to choose life 'by loving Jehovah, by listening to his voice, and by sticking to him.'  When those words were spoken, the people of Israel had not yet taken possession of the Promised Land.  They were poised on the Plains of Moab, readying themselves to cross the Jordan River and enter Canaan.  While it was natural for them to turn their thoughts toward the "good and gracious" land  "flowing with milk and honey" that they would soon receive, the realization of their dreams depended on their love for Jehovah, their listening to his voice, and their sticking to him.  (Exodus 3:8)  Moses made this clear, stating:  'If you will listen to  the commandments of Jehovah your God, which I am commanding you today, so as to love Jehovah your God, to walk in his ways and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judicial decisions, then you will be bound to keep alive and to multiply, and Jehovah your God must bless you in the land to which you are going to take possession of it." -Deuteronomy 30:16.

Should the foregoing not teach us something about our preaching and teaching work in  this time of the end?  We think about the coming Paradise earth and talk about it in our ministry.  But neither we nor the disciples we make will see the fulfillment of the promise if we or they are serving God for selfish reasons.  Like the Israelites, we and those whom we teach must learn to 'love Jehovah, listen to his voice, and stick to him  'If we remember this when carrying out our ministry, we will actually be collaborating with God in drawing people to him.

Next time: God's Fellow Workers

Watchtower, 2000