JULY 2024
DON'T LET JESUS REPLACE YOU AT HIS FEAST
One of the parables that Jesus told is about a rich man who invited many to join him in a great feast. This parable is recorded in Luke 14:24, and explains to us that we are being called into God’s Kingdom to meet with the King. The question we have to ask ourselves is, “what are we doing with the invitation?”
In this parable, we see that so many that were invited gave excuses. It was either they had business deals that they were busy with, or had bought new oxen, or they had just gotten married.
We know how often we give excuses to get us out of doing something for or with God. Sometimes, we prefer only the ones that will give us a visible seat on the high table or the ones that will make us feel important.
The problem really is how highly have we prioritised the event to which God is calling us, before we begin to look for excuses.
Life seems to have become so busy, and seemingly unimportant things seem to have taken up such a high priority that our decisions and excuses have become suspect. There seem to be so many voices, that wage war for our attention leaving us confused. In our busy world today, would we be able to hear the still small voice of Jesus calling us away to just be with Him. Jesus often took His disciples to just be with Him. These times of refreshing with Jesus are so important, but we don’t seem to recognise them when we are invited.
In our parable, when the servants reported back to the Master with all the excuses from those invited, the Master was very angry. He immediately changed the plan concerning who would attend. He thus sent his servants to invite the poor, the blind, the disabled, the hurting, and the lonely. He therefore invited those who would recognise that they had a need. How lucky they were.
I wonder if you and I are desperate for Jesus. I wonder if we have found a way to get by in life with doing things our way, and leaving Jesus out of His central role in our lives. Does our desire to spend time with Jesus our King take priority over every other invitation? Are we able to have enough “quiet“ in our lives, that we can hear that call to just come and be with Jesus. See how easy it was to replace those who really aren’t hungry for Jesus.
When the servants called these new set of “invitees”, they came back to report that they had all come, but there was still room for more. The Master sent the servants back again to get the beggars, the outcasts, the homeless and all others so the house would be full. Notice the emphasis here is that, others will take the place of the one who receives an invitation to feast, but makes excuses. That one will never enjoy Jesus’s banquet because Jesus will invite others to take your place.
Let us therefore place our relationship with Jesus above every other relationship. Let every business, and all other relationships take second place. Let’s be open and clear about our priorities so that we always recognise Jesus’s call.
May the Lord bless us all.
Mina Bajomo
