Randy and I have been fortunate enough to be invited to a few mind blowing dinners of finery and elegance with everything set perfectly in place.  We were humbled and even a little anxious at being there for we are not people who regularly dined like this.  There were so many courses to the meal, we thought we would be there all night!  But that was acceptable because the host made food an event to be experienced!  It was definitely not our normal fare burgers and fries, oh no!  The food was wonderful, beautifully presented and impeccably served.  Food was the entertainment for the evening.  We felt unworthy to be invited to such a place of beauty.  Knowing it would be such an event, we prepared ourselves for it.  We brought dressy clothes that fit the occasion so we would be acceptable guests fit into the ambience of this evening. 

By now, you are probably wondering why “commoners” such as Randy and I were invited to such an affair.  Because of my work as an event planner, beautiful high-end hotels in various cities fought for our attention and the attention of other planners like myself.  Hotels worked together to bring their very best chefs and servers to show us what they could provide from their city.  The Chambers of Commerce wanted our business!  They did their ultimate best to get us to buy their product of gracious service and elegance for our own event attenders.  It cost me nothing, but it cost them thousands of dollars!

Stop for a moment and consider an invitation to come to our Father’s House!  Nothing will surpass the beauty that will be indescribable, though John the Revelator tried from his visions from God, Himself.  The invitation clearly states that ALL will be invited what we will need as guests.  We will come as guests but we will become joint heirs with Jesus and take up permanent residence in His forever home if we accept the invitation, believe in Jesus as Son of God and Savior.  Wait!  What?!  It’s costs me nothing but belief in Him?

Seriously, can you imagine getting a formal invitation from God to sit at His table in His house?  Can you imagine the prepared table, the luxurious surroundings, the bright lights, the glistening silver and gold, the ornate walls and floors?  You wonder if you are dressed appropriately, ready for His Son to enter and sit at the Head of the Table.  Yes, God’s own Son will sit at the Table with all who accepted the invitation to come.  You wonder why anyone would refuse this invitation. 

There is no one more important at God’s House, at His Table, that has been prepared for all who believe in Jesus, than God, Himself along with His Son.  Imagine it!  Get dressed for it!  Be ready!  Accept Jesus by accepting God’s invitation to believe and be saved! 

Your invitation is engraved by the blood of the Lamb who died for us;

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

The invitation continues with;

“For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in Him will never be put to shame”  “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”  Romans 10

What to wear;

Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.  Colossians 3:14-17

So, who gets invited?  ALL who believe that Jesus died for our sins and rose again.  He is preparing a place for us at His Table with a room for us in His House.  God’s invitation to love Him back by accepting Jesus His Son as Savior and Lord was planned from the Beginning.  That’s why David and Solomon wrote the following words…

Worship and Wisdom, Psalms and Proverbs

Psalm 15, The Message

A David Psalm

God, who gets invited
    to dinner at your place?
How do we get on your guest list?

² “Walk straight,
    act right,
        tell the truth.

^3-4 “Don’t hurt your friend,
    don’t blame your neighbor;
        despise the despicable.

⁵ “Keep your word even when it costs you,
    make an honest living,
        never take a bribe.

“You’ll never get
blacklisted
if you live like this.”

TRUTH: “Walk straight, act right, tell the truth.

Proverb 10, The Message

The Road to Life Is a Disciplined Life

¹⁵ The wealth of the rich is their bastion;
    the poverty of the indigent is their ruin.

¹⁶ The wage of a good person is exuberant life;
    an evil person ends up with nothing but sin.

¹⁷ The road to life is a disciplined life;
    ignore correction and you’re lost for good.

¹⁸ Liars secretly hoard hatred;
    fools openly spread slander.

¹⁹ The more talk, the less truth;
    the wise measure their words.

²⁰ The speech of a good person is worth waiting for;
    the blabber of the wicked is worthless.

²¹ The talk of a good person is rich fare for many,
    but chatterboxes die of an empty heart.

WISDOM:  The road to life is a disciplined life.  

Abba Father,

I do believe.  I accept your invitation!  I love you with all my heart, mind and soul.  I am humbled by your invitation that comes at no cost to me but at a very high cost to you.  You paid it all with your blood in humiliation.  All my sins are gone, as far as the east is from the west, all because of you, dear Jesus.  I want to be invited to your house and sit at your table.  So, help me to be all you created me to be, even if it is hard and takes time.  I have time because I have you.  Help me to hear your voice above all other voices today.  Help me to dress elegantly in love, kindness, gentleness, patience, generosity, by your mercy and grace.  Thank you, Lord and Savior.  In Jesus Name, Amen