Daily Reading & Meditation

Scripture: Luke 14:15-24

15 When one of those who sat at table with him heard this, he said to him, "Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!"

16 But he said to him, "A man once gave a great banquet, and invited many;

17 and at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, `Come; for all is now ready.'

18 But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, `I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it; I pray you, have me excused.'

19 And another said, `I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them; I pray you, have me excused.'

20 And another said, `I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.'

21 So the servant came and reported this to his master. Then the householder in anger said to his servant, `Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and maimed and blind and lame.'

22 And the servant said, `Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.'

23 And the master said to the servant, `Go out to the highways and hedges, and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled.

24 For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.'"

Meditation:

          One of the most beautiful images of heaven in the scriptures is the royal wedding celebration and banquet given by the King for his son and  friends. We, in fact, have been invited to the most important banquet of all! The last book in the Bible ends with an invitation to the wedding feast of the Lamb and his Bride, the church: The Spirit and the Bride say, Come! (Revelations 22:17). The 'Lamb of God' is the Lord Jesus Christ and his bride is the people he has redeemed by his own precious blood which was shed upon the cross for our salvation.

God lavishes his grace upon each one of us to draw us closer to himself and he invites each of us to his banquet that we may share more deeply in his joy. Are you ready to feast at the Lord's banquet table?

"Lord Jesus, you withhold no good thing from us and you lavish us with the treasures of heaven. Help me to seek your kingdom first and to lay aside anything that might hinder me from doing your will."