“The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.” Matthew 22:2-3

When I got to the Church yesterday, I realized I’d forgotten both my wallet AND my cell phone. Now THAT sentence alone is enough for SEVERAL devotionals. It’s not that I NEEDED either of those things to worship or preach. We were planning to go out afterward and I needed my wallet. The phone was a habit… ‘just in case.’ I quickly reverted to my reliable back-up plan and called my wife from the Church phone.

Katie’s phone rang, then went to voicemail. I declined to leave a message. It just wasn’t THAT important! Besides, SHE has a credit card too. The church phone rang back within 45 seconds. Knowing it HAD to be her, I answered ‘Hey Baby…,’ which is strange, because I normally call her ‘Peaches!’ Ignoring the suck-up, she got straight to the point. “What’d you forget?”

It wasn’t until we got to the restaurant that I asked, “May I have my wallet and phone please?” Without words, she reached into her purse and handed them to me. Just like I knew she would! Her love for me proved reliable. It generally does!

The story from which I got today’s Bible verse is kind of like that. Except it involves a King and a HUGE Wedding Banquet, thrown for His only Son. Everything had been prepared and invitations had been sent for the lush and expensive ‘Party of the Century!’ Everything was going according to plan until… no one showed up! The King.. was OUTRAGED!

NO ONE would even consider missing such an event! Even receiving an invitation meant YOU were ‘special.’ To NOT show would be the greatest of insults! Yet missing didn’t seem to bother anyone in particular. Except…The King!

There was an unstated contract between the King and his subjects that EVERYONE knows. When the King calls, I’m to answer. What He asks for, I am to deliver. It’s just that simple. Jesus Christ ‘came’ to Earth, from Heaven, to save me and make me His. That is what ‘Advent’ means! At this particular time of year, the Christmas season brings a message from the King, delivered straight to YOU. He wants your time, talents, gifts, service and attention.

Will YOU be a ‘no show?”