It's Me Again God

76: The Invitation

It's me again God,

Invitations are always exciting to receive! I imagine I would be very excited to receive an invitation to a great banquet! In Bible days, etiquette dictated that invitations to an event were handed out well in advance. Those who had accepted the invitation were then notified via a servant, on the day of the banquet, letting them know that it was time to come.

"Jesus replied: "A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, 'Come, for everything is now ready.' "But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, 'I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.' "Another said, 'I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I'm on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.' "Still another said, 'I just got married, so I can't come.' "The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.' " 'Sir,' the servant said, 'what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.' "Then the master told his servant, 'Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full. I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.' ""
‭‭Luke‬ ‭14:16-24‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I have always felt so sad for the man who had obviously spent a great deal of time and money getting the banquet ready. People had responded favourably when first invited but when the time came to go along, they made one excuse after another!

Lord, as I read this parable, I see You as the man preparing the banquet. You are saying, 'Come, for everything is now ready!' You have made everything ready so all people need to do is to come and receive! Thank You that when I came to You, You had always been ready and waiting for me!

Just as the people in the parable made excuses, many who initially accept the call to come to You, can get caught up in the things of life and no longer have room for You. Buying land and oxen are pictures of all the material things that people can put in the way of having a relationship with You. The excuse about having just married, perhaps represents the way we could let relationships with people, pull us away from You. It seemed that all of the excuses people made were just hiding the fact that they didn't really want to come at all!

The master of the banquet was understandably upset after getting everything ready for those who indicated they were coming. He sends his servant out to invite the locals, then when there was still room, he was instructed to go out further and was told to 'compel' the people to come.

Father You called Your people right from the start. You chose Israel as Your special people. Jesus You came as a servant and although everything was ready, You were rejected. You sent Your disciples out with a job to do:

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,"
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭28:19‬ ‭NIV‬‬
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
‭‭Acts‬ ‭1:8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

More than two thousand years later, the invitation to Your Great Banquet, has been gratefully received by many Gentiles, of all nations but the task of getting the invitation out is not over yet! Lord, take me and use me so that many will come to You!

Until that final Day,
Amen.