The Lord said to me, “Faithless Israel is more righteous than unfaithful Judah. 
Go, proclaim this message toward the north:
“‘Return, faithless Israel,’ declares the Lord,
    ‘I will frown on you no longer,
for I am faithful,’ declares the Lord,
    ‘I will not be angry forever.
Only acknowledge your guilt—
    you have rebelled against the Lord your God,
you have scattered your favors to foreign gods
    under every spreading tree,
    and have not obeyed me,’”
declares the Lord.
“Return, faithless people,” declares the Lord, “for I am your husband. I will choose you—one from a town and two from a clan—and bring you to Zion. 
Jeremiah 3:11-14

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Have you ever been to a glamorous wedding? Weddings tend to be beautiful events, but the really glamorous ones have me thinking. There is so much time and attention given to that one day. The bride and groom often tour multiple venues before settling on one. Then, they sift through caterers and florists making sure the food and flowers are just right. There’s of course, the dress, the tux, the bridesmaids and groomsmen attire—so many details to be considered. And in the midst of all of this, they are combing through their guest list. After all of the great effort that went into planning this event of epic proportions, they would not just want any and everyone there. Oh no! The invitation to this wedding would be reserved for loved ones and those who would appreciate the experience. 

In Luke’s gospel, Jesus tells a story about a man who threw a lavish banquet that might be comparable to a glamorous wedding (Luke 14:15-24). No doubt he had an exclusive guest list, but when the banquet was ready, none of them came. This angered the host, so he commanded his servants to go into the streets and invite the poor, the lame, and the blind. Then he pushed even further and “… said to the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.’” And just like that, this event became what I would like to call an “exclusive, inclusive banquet.” This means that it was exclusive to everyone who was invited but at the same time inclusive because “everyone” was invited. 

Similarly, our Heavenly Father invites us into an exclusive, inclusive relationship with him. He has planned a banquet for us down to the most minute detail and spared no expense. Our Heavenly Father has exclusively invited us to his table, and Jesus is the groom who made it inclusive for all who want to be there. This world offers us so many invitations to temporary satisfaction, but if you take our Heavenly Father up on his invitation, the benefits are of eternal proportions! 

Next Steps

• If you have not taken the invitation to follow Jesus, I invite you to do so today and pray this simple prayer: “Heavenly Father, I accept your invitation and I accept Jesus to be the Lord of my life.  Jesus, I choose to follow you today as you show me how.  In your name I pray, Amen.” If you prayed that prayer we would love to know about it and give you some next steps as you follow Jesus. Click here for the digital connection card and let us know you accepted Jesus in the additional notes section.

• If you are already a follower of Jesus, consider practicing the Rooted rhythm of B.L.E.S.S. and begin sharing your story and inviting others to the table. Your invitation might just lead them to God’s invitation. 

• Grow in your faith by developing the habit of reading God’s Word. Download the Willow app and follow along the New Testament Reading plan. Do you need a print out of the reading plan? Click here to download it.