At His Invitation - a Lesson in Redemption

Exodus 24 stopped me. We were studying this week’s Come Follow Me lesson, but this was brought to our attention:

In Exodus 24, Moses was told to come up into the mount—and not alone. Aaron, possibly the sons are the two with names, and seventy elders came partway. What follows feels almost too sacred to take in quickly:

They saw the God of Israel.
They were not destroyed.
And then—they ate and drank in His presence.

A meal.

Not instruction. Not correction.
A shared meal.

In ancient terms, that meant peace. Acceptance. Relationship. The covenant had just been made, and the Lord invited them to sit with Him.

That’s something to ponder.

Because not long after that sacred moment, everything unraveled. The people grew restless. Aaron, who had seen and experienced all of this, gave in to pressure and helped create the golden calf.

How does that even happen?

It reminds me that even the most powerful spiritual experiences don’t remove our agency. The mountain is real—but so is the valley. Clarity can fade. Pressure can build. And sometimes, we forget what we once knew so clearly.

And yet—the Lord doesn’t withdraw the invitation.

That’s beautiful!

We are still invited.

Each week, we sit quietly and partake of the sacrament. Bread. Water. Simple emblems. But it is more than a routine. It is, in a very real sense, a covenant meal—offered at the Savior’s invitation.

A chance to remember.
A chance to return.
A chance to be near Him again.

Maybe that’s the pattern.

He invites us up the mountain.
He knows we will come back down into the noise and the pressure of the world.
And still—He prepares a place for us, again and again.

Not because we have been perfect in the valley,
but because we are willing to come back.

“And they saw God, and did eat and drink.” (Exodus 24:11)

And somehow, that invitation is still being extended.