The Banquet

Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables: "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. He sent out slaves to summon those invited to the banquet, but they didn't want to come. Again, he sent out other slaves and said, "Tell those who are invited: 'Look, I've prepared my dinner, my oxen and fattened cattle have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.'

But they paid no attention and went away, one to his own farm, another to his business. And the others seized his slaves and treated them outrageously and killed them. The king was enraged, so he sent out his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned down their city.

Then he told his slaves, "The banquet is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Therefore go to where the roads exit the city and invite everyone you find to the banquet". Matthew 22:1-9

Have you ever been ignored? You send messages but receive no answers? You send more messages and still receive no answers? How does that make you feel? Not wanted? Rejected? I am sure you have, I have.

Even though God is all powerful He has limited Himself in relationship. He too is treated shamefully by those who say they are His. Revelation 3:20 typifies this: "Listen! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and have dinner with him, and he with me."

Paintings have been done of this scene and we see there is no handle on the outside of the door, only on the inside.

I understand the pain the Lord must have when we go our own way and ignore Him; 'one to the farm and another to his business.' Our God wants to dine with us, that is personal, relational.

For a few days I have been trying to contact my children and get the messagebank, I sms and nothing. How does that make me feel? Like finding children that will listen and respond to relationship. Now, I am sure I will break through, when they are ready to communicate.

How the Lord has to face this with so many children amazes me. Most of us go to Him when we have a need, are hurt or injured, or when it is convenient. We forget He wants to dine with us, spend time in fellowship with us, be intimate with us.

My children are adults and no longer see the need to spend time with me or fellowship me, they are their own masters now. Yet I still long to spend time with them, the fact that they are adults does not diminish my desire to fellowship them.

When we come to Christ we are infants and cling but as we mature we come less frequently yet Jesus said we must be like little children in our relationship to Him and faith towards Him. How do I be mature in faith and humble in spirit? Yes it is a challenge but one I can achieve by His grace.