For Our Lord never forced himself on anyone.  People had a choice.  They were as free to join him as they were to refuse him; as free to leave as they were to stay (Mark 10:22; John 6:66,67).  But when they made the choice to turn to him with an awareness of the importance of what they were doing, then his acceptance of them was immediate.  It was equivalent to the action of the father in the Parable of the Prodigal Son in running to meet his son on his return in penitence to his home (Luke 15:20).