This year, so far, I’ve been invited to three weddings. We all like to be invited to a wedding. When the invite drops on the doormat it is so exciting. A new outfit, meeting old friends, a relaxing day, sharing joy with the happy couple. One problem for the couple is - who to invite? If you have lots of friends the bigger problem is - who to leave out?
I have been looking at the suggested guest list for the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. There are some people on the list who you would expect to be there. There are other guests who you've never heard of. We are told that there will be 2,640 members of the public including 1,200 people from the community who have demonstrated strong leadership skills. Why will they be there? Simply because they have been invited.
It struck me that heaven will be like that. There are some people who you might expect to be there and others who you might be surprised to see there. Everyone who is there will have one thing in common. They were invited and they accepted the invitation. Incidentally, the guest list for Harry and Meghan is limited as St George's Chapel will only seat 800. However, that's not the case with heaven, we are all invited, there is room for all!
It struck me that heaven will be like that. There are some people who you might expect to be there and others who you might be surprised to see there. Everyone who is there will have one thing in common. They were invited and they accepted the invitation. Incidentally, the guest list for Harry and Meghan is limited as St George's Chapel will only seat 800. However, that's not the case with heaven, we are all invited, there is room for all!
Jesus still says to everyone who will listen 'come unto me and I will give you rest'. The open invitation to come to God for forgiveness is still available. Listen to the offer 'he that hears my word, and believes on Him that sent me, has everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life'. Naturally we are all heading for separation from God but God offers an invitation to heaven.
By the way any invite to a wedding assumes that you do not pay to go (forget for a moment the cost of the new outfit etc). The wedding is paid for and you go free. It's not that the wedding is cheap it is that someone else is paying. Heaven is like that. It's not cheap to gain entry but it has been paid for by the death of the Lord Jesus Christ.
To ensure you can go to the wedding you have to accept the invitation. RSVP it says on the invite. You can't just turn up, you have to accept the invitation. It's just the same with heaven. The invitation has been made but you need to reply accepting or rejecting. As in wedding invites failure to reply implies you are not going. Failure to reply to God implies that you are not going to heaven either.
Will you accept the invitation and come to the greatest wedding and reception of all, in heaven.
If you have time please listen to my latest podcast - The Life story of John Bunyan (Part 1). John Buyan had a very interesting life and an even more interesting marriage. Have a listen. I hope that you find it both interesting and helpful.
God bless you today.
Stephen
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