At this Table, God delights to feed us. But God does not just feed us, He prepares us to be fed. He undertakes the feeding, and He undertakes the preparation for feeding.
Of course, the preparations began before the foundation of the world, when God the Father elected a people for Himself. And the preparations continued when the Lord Jesus gave Himself on the cross two thousand years ago. But what role in preparation does the Holy Spirit have? He was the one who converted you, and He is the one working in your heart over the course of every week, preparing you for this meal.
“Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: Thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear” (Ps.10:17).
Not only does God respond to us here, but He also prepares our hearts for us—so that He might respond to us as we offer up this sacrifice of praise. This means you did not just wander in. If you are baptized, you are invited. If you are not baptized, you are invited to be baptized—and the water brings with it an invitation to the Table. In short, one way or another, absolutely everyone here is invited. God prepared the meal, and in your heart, God prepared the one who would come and eat.
So come, and welcome, to Jesus Christ.