Come to the Wedding Feast

Is it just me, or do you find the teachings of Jesus extremely convicting? Even just simple snippets . . . a small amount of words from the Word can have a huge impact. Just the other day I read Matthew 22 during my devotions. The first 14 verses contain the Parable of the Marriage Feast. If you've got your Bible handy, pull it out and read those verses - if you don't have a Bible handy, I'll still quote it down below. There's just something reading the Word on printed paper versus screen, if you ask me.

"Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven may be compared to king who gave a wedding feast for his son. And he sent out his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding feast, and they were unwilling to come. Again he sent out outher slaves saying, 'Tell those who have been invited, "Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fattened livestock are all butchered and everything is ready; come to the wedding feast."' But they paid no attention and went their way, one to his farm, another to his business, and the rest seized his slaves and mistreated them and killed them. But the king was enraged, and he sent his armies and destoryed those murderers and set their city on fire. Then he said to his slaves, 'The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the main highways, and as many as you find there, invite to the wedding feast.' Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered together all they found, both evil and good; and the wedding hall was filled with dinner guests. But when the king came in to look over the dinner guests, he saw a man there who was not dressed in wedding clothes, and he said to him, 'Friend, how did you come in here without wedding clothes? And the man was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, 'Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' For many are called, but few are chosen.'" - Matthew 22:1-14

As I read that passage over the other day, I was struck by the simplicity of the king's invitation in verse 5 - "Come to the wedding feast". And yet, how the invitation was not gladly, excitedly accepted. "But they paid no attention and went their own way, one to his farm, another to his business . . ." (vs.6) We're busy people, aren't we? The busier we are, the more important we feel. The more important we feel, the less we feel like we need the Lord. It's easy to give up an hour on Sunday morning (well, some mornings. As long as we're not too tired and didn't go to bed too late) and call it good. But Jesus wants so much more than that - in fact, I think we could even be so bold as to say that He requires more than that. A few chapters earlier in Matthew, Jesus tells His disciples, "'If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it." (16:24-25)

O friend, may we not be found going about our own business when there is the Marriage Supper of the Lamb to attend. May we not be so consumed with ourselves that we overlook those around us who are also invited to this Feast.

"Be Thou my vision, O LORD of my heart.

Not be all else to me save that Thou art."