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Oct 31, 2024 06:00am

The Invitation

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A royal coach had arrived just outside their doorstep. A sharply dressed footman approached the house and knocked.

“What could this be?” the girls wondered.

A letter was opened before them, and the footman declared the message inside.

It was an invitation. To a ball. With the prince! The girls could hardly contain themselves with excitement! The prince was searching for a wife. As their mother listened, she had already made up her mind that it would be one of her daughters who received his proposal.

“All maidens are to attend.”

The King’s seal, stamped in wax, was at the bottom of the letter. The footman bowed and left them in his coach, rolling to the next home to declare his message again.

But it wasn’t just the two girls and their mother who had heard the invitation to this life-changing event. A third girl, a stepdaughter, was in the background. She had listened to the invitation as well.

She was invited.

To a ball.

With the prince!

But the stepmother and her daughters were cruel to the girl and told her she couldn’t go. They treated her as their cook, seamstress, and maid. They wanted her to believe she was too busy and unworthy to go or be invited.

But she had heard the invitation. She knew it was for all – not just a few.

Cinderella was determined to go.

Acts 19:8-10
“Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God.
9 But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way. So Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus.
10 This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord.”

Paul knew he had been sent to preach the gospel message of Jesus Christ. No matter the opposition that arose, he was determined to share this life-changing message.

For two years, he continued to preach this message. And here’s my favorite part – to all the people.

The scripture says that ALL in Asia heard the invitation to accept Jesus. It wasn’t just for a few or a chosen group, it was for ALL.

I think about this often. The scripture in 2 Peter says that the Lord is patient with us, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. He has sent out the invitation to all – “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whosoever believes in Him would have eternal life.” John 3:16

Whosoever.

All.

Christ is the bridegroom. He is inviting all to attend a life-changing event. Being an all-knowing God, He knows the last person who will accept His invitation. And then He will come.

We don’t know who it is. But He has called us to be his footmen to go and declare this invitation to ALL people.

And that’s what hits me.

What if that one person He’s been waiting on is someone I will tell?

Wow.

As followers of Christ, we have been called to share the gospel – the invitation to be loved, forgiven, and changed by Jesus. And when we accept His offer of salvation, we not only gain a home with Him in heaven for eternity, we are sent out on mission with Him.

To continue to declare the same message we received.

The invitation.

The Prince of Peace is waiting! Will you accept His invitation?