June 14

Matthew 22:3 (NIV)
3 He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.

Maybe you have, like me, been so taken with the story of the wedding feast and the guests that refused to come that you missed a simple fact. He sent his servants to those who had been invited. That’s us! God is sending us to go tell people that the King is ready for them to come to His table. It is our task, our role, our partnership and our pleasure to tell others that God wants them to eat at His table. That has so much meaning! He wants to relate to them, He wants to feed them, He wants to bring them security and the list goes on. He doesn’t want to be their butler, but He does want to be their provider! It is ours to tell them.

It isn’t ours to convince them. Many of those who were invited and summoned didn’t come, but the King didn’t get mad at the servants, He just told them to go get more people. If people reject God’s offer, that is on them. It is our responsibility and privilege to invite people – to tell them that God wants to be their friend, King and forgiver. It is our task to tell people that there is hope in Christ, healing in Christ, salvation in Christ alone. It is our role to tell them that Jesus has the power to set them free from their addictions and vices and everything else that holds them back.

I am challenged today. I hope you are too.