The invitation begins – Come, please join us for…
In this day of hurry up and I’m late, do we take time to open the invitation, much less respond to it? I confess – I’m guilty. I don’t have time, I’m in a hurry, I’ll get to it shortly are the words that tumble through my mind as the invitation gets tossed aside.
I overlook the invitation, misplace it or even lose it. Rest assured, many times, the event does not make it onto my calendar! And the event passes without me being present.
I recently missed my son’s fiancé’s sister’s (you followed that, right?!) wedding shower. My intentions to attend were good, yet, my actions spoke otherwise. And she is soon to be part of my family! Oh, my. Family.
What about the invitation our Father God extends to His sons and daughters? Have I misplaced it, disrespected it or totally ignored it? Or have I honorably RSVP’d with the date simply noted TBD? I pray I have responded – humbly and with a hunger to attend the Feast when His Son, Jesus, The Bridegroom, returns.
You may want to read His invitation for yourself. Come, all you who are thirsty, it begins…
Invitation to the Thirsty
55 “Come, all you who are thirsty,
come to the waters;
and you who have no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without cost.
2 Why spend money on what is not bread,
and your labor on what does not satisfy?
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
and you will delight in the richest of fare.
3 Give ear and come to me;
listen, that you may live.
I will make an everlasting covenant with you,
my faithful love promised to David.
4 See, I have made him a witness to the peoples,
a ruler and commander of the peoples.
5 Surely you will summon nations you know not,
and nations you do not know will come running to you,
because of the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel,
for he has endowed you with splendor.”
Isaiah 55:1-5 (NIV)
Endowed you with splendor. Can you even imagine? Now here’s the best question – Do you want to attend THAT event? I do. I certainly do…
Yet am I making time to prepare for the coming of the Lord? Am I prioritizing my need to read God’s word each day to get to know Him better? If I have only a moment, am I feeding myself at least one verse each morning, so I can meditate on it all day long?
What if I meditate on one verse all week long with that ONE verse posted in prominent places? Doing just one verse each week has this outcome – 52 weeks later, I have 52 verses inscribed on my heart. Heartfelt words. Heartwarming sentiment. Heart = Love. God is Love personified.
I recently read that somewhere. That sentence ended with even before you face your spouse and family!
Let God’s Word be the content for your conversations and the holder of your heart before words fall from your lips – and trip you up.
Epilogue: Invitation and Warning
12 “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
14 “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. 15 Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.”
17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.
18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. 19 And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.
20 He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.”
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.
Revelation 22:12-21(NIV)
The right to the tree of life.
The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.
What a magnificent invitation! Accept His free gift.
Your RSVP to God’s invitation has eternal consequences, for we will meet God when we die – whether we know Him or not. I invite you to accept His invitation. I pray you know His Son, Jesus, as your Lord and Savior, for He is the Way, the Truth and the Life.