Then he said to his servants, "The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find." And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests. Matthew 22:8-10

Lena Elk, the environment minister of Sweden, is a pretty important person, as is Margareta Winberg, the country's former minister of agriculture.

Everyone agreed, it would be quite a newsworthy event, an incredible photo-op if the two bigwigs sat down to dinner and talked about matters sundry. Knowing that was the case, Elk extended an invitation to Margareta Winberg.

Naturally, nobody was surprised when Winberg accepted. Everybody was surprised when Margareta Winberg showed up. That's because the Margareta Winberg who showed up was not the Margareta Winberg.

The Margareta Winberg who showed up was an ordinary, 67-year-old, environmentally ignorant individual who had jumped at the opportunity of mingling with the rich, the famous, and the influential.

I can see why Winberg went. It's not very often that uninfluential folks like us get an invitation from somebody who is an important mover and shaker.

Wait! I guess that's not entirely true, is it?

No matter how low, how common, how poor, how lonely we are, each of us has received an invitation from our heavenly King.

That invitation which has been sent out to all says we are cordially invited to a celebration which is going to last forever. Banished from the proceedings will be sorrow, sadness, sickness, and pain, tears, troubles, trials and death. These unwelcomed guests will be replaced by a chorus who will sing unending songs of thanksgiving and praise.

No, it's not often we get such an invitation. Indeed, we would not have received this one if it hadn't been for the intercession and sacrifice of the King's Son. Because Jesus has cleaned us up and washed us of our sins, we have now been made acceptable to the Host.

All of this means when they check the invitation list, that is "The Book of Life," and they find your name there, it won't be a case of mistaken identity.

Because of Jesus, heaven is opened and you are welcome.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord and Savior, for all You have done, for giving Yourself so I might have heaven as my eternal home, my deepest thanks. Now, I pray that others may also see what You have done, and open their invitation with gladness. In Your Name I ask it. Amen.

In Christ I remain His servant and yours,

Today's Bible Readings: 2 Samuel 13-14    John 4:1-26

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