Thursday, October 25, 2018

Have You Accepted His Invitation?

I'm getting a late start to this blog. I slept in, instead of getting up early. I'm skipping the early water aerobics class and will attend one at 9:30 am. I'm puzzled at what I should write about today. And the clock is ticking away.

Do you ever feel like you are behind; chasing after the bus or flagging down a taxi that just drove on by? (Yeah, I get lots of practice at that in rural Iowa!) That's a feeling I want to avoid but here I am putting pressure on myself to accomplish something that really doesn't have a time line. Or does it?

Our pastor recently preached on the parable about the wedding feast in Matthew 22:1-14. And the most significant message I received from it is that there is a limit to God's invitation to believe. I hadn't really thought about it because I am a believer and will keep my faith in Jesus Christ. But, pastor brought up some questions that got our growth group thinking last night. Is there a time line to God's invitation to believe. Will His invitation expire? The answer we came up with is - yes.

"But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes, 'Friend,' he asked, 'how did you get in here without wedding clothes?' The man was speechless. "Then the king told the attendants, 'Tie him hand and foot and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' "For many are invited, but few are chosen," (Matthew 22:11-14 NIV).

If you read the full scripture of Jesus' parable of the Wedding Feast, you will see that the invitation was offered to many but many refused to come. Of the good and the bad that finally came to the party only a few were chosen.

"The Lamb will overcome them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings -- and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers," (Revelation 17:14b NIV).

I'm thankful that I've accepted Jesus' invitation to be washed whiter than snow and saved from my sins by Jesus' blood. If you haven't accepted Jesus' invitation yet, I urge you to seek out someone who can help you find the path to Jesus. I would be honored to help you. If you already know the Way, Praise God!

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