You’re invited to a big dinner party! God has a specific, fantastic plan for your life, including blessings beyond anything you can imagine. I love this parable that Jesus taught:
Luke 14:16-25
16 But
He said to him, "A man was giving a big dinner, and he invited many;
17 and at the dinner
hour he sent his slave to say to those who had been invited, "Come; for
everything is ready now.'
Everything is ready for you! God has already provided your salvation, your blessings here on earth, and greater blessings in heaven for all of eternity. All it takes is for you to accept His invitation. But here comes that terrible word – BUT!
18 "But they all
alike began to make excuses. The first one said to him, "I have bought a
piece of land and I need to go out and look at it; please consider me excused.'
In the original Greek, the verb “make excuses” is in the present tense. This means that they kept on making excuses, or that they made a habit or custom of it. These people were continually making these excuses.
In this man’s eyes, he had a legitimate excuse! There is nothing sinful or evil about land, but it becomes sinful when it takes you away from the plan of God! This principle goes all the way back to the 10 Commandments:
Exodus 20:3
3 "You shall have
no other gods before
19 "Another one
said, "I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out;
please consider me excused.'
Again, there is nothing evil or sinful about a job. But if it makes you decline God’s invitation into His plan for your life, it becomes sinful.
20 "Another one
said, "I have married a wife, and for that reason I cannot come.'
The Greek word for cannot in verse 20 is interesting. It’s the negative of DUNAMAI, the word from which we get dynamite! He is saying that he doesn’t have the power – his wife won’t let him go! The same principle applies – there is nothing wrong with marriage, but you can’t let it take you away from the plan of God.
21
"And the slave came back and reported this to his master. Then the head of the household became
angry and said to his slave, "Go out at once into the streets and lanes of
the city and bring in here the poor and crippled and blind and lame.'
Face it – God can replace you with a blind lame crippled poor man! His plan goes on with or without you. You have been invited; it should be considered a privilege!
22 "And the
slave said, "Master, what you commanded has been done, and still there is
room.'
Notice there is still room for these excuse-makers to come back.
23 "And the
master said to the slave, "Go out into the highways and along the hedges,
and compel them to come in, so that my house may be filled.
24 "For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall
taste of my dinner.'" (God knows
they will never come and join His plan)
This is a dinner that you do not want to miss. His plan for your life is beyond your imagination, but remember that God’s plan will go on with or without you:
Isaiah 46:10-11
10 Declaring the end
from the beginning,
And from ancient
times things which have not been done,
Saying, "My
purpose will be established,
And I will
accomplish all My good pleasure';
11 Calling a bird of
prey from the east,
The man of My purpose from a far country.
Truly I have spoken;
truly I will bring it to pass.
I have planned it,
surely I will do it.
It’s up to you to make your plans around attending the dinner party that God has planned for you. Put it on your calendar, make it your priority.