An Invitation (by Cathe Laurie)

“A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready’” (Luke 14:16–17 ESV).

I was once invited to what sounded like a very refined event—a butterfly hunt, followed by afternoon tea.

It sounded charming. Civilized. Beautiful. But when the invitation came, the honest truth was . . . I simply didn’t want to go.

So instead, I came up with a polite excuse. Something respectable. Something that wouldn’t offend anyone. But underneath it all, the real reason was simple: It just wasn’t important enough to me.

At the time, I thought I was avoiding something awkward. But looking back, I realize I probably missed a special and beautiful event.

Jesus’ Parable of the Banquet

In Luke 14, Jesus tells the parable of a banquet.

“A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready’” (Luke 14:16–17 ESV).

The excuses poured in from all who were invited. One said, “I have bought a field” (see verse 18). One said, “I bought some oxen” (see verse 19). One said, “I just got married” (see verse 20).

The Invitation Simply Wasn’t Important Enough to Them

The excuses are ridiculous. Just like my polite decline to the tea party, the core of their responses was, “I have better things to do.” The invitation simply wasn’t important enough to them.

The host responds to the servant, “Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame” (verse 21 ESV).

The servant does so and returns with the message, “There is still room” (see verse 22).

So the invitation goes further. Everyone they can reach is invited, because everyone matters. The house will be filled.

Everyone who wants to be there will be. And anyone who doesn’t want to come will not.

It’s Our Choice to Accept or Reject God’s Invitation

This is the image of the kingdom of God. The Lord has extended an invitation to all of us. All of us. There’s a seat for everyone, but it’s our choice to accept or reject it.

I’ll tell you, the world will try to tell you that you have more important things to do. It will offer you an abundant array of distractions. Accepting Christ and living for Him may seem like the least of your priorities.

But friends, let me tell you . . . this is the only invitation that truly matters.

Say yes, my friends. Even if you haven’t before in your life, or you said yes once but have since turned away, now is the day to say yes!

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Cathe Laurie is the founder and director of the Virtue women’s ministry. She is also a featured speaker on The Virtue Podcast, at Harvest events, and the author of As I See It. You can find her weekly articles here on harvest.org.