Monday, October 17, 2011

Monday’s Devotion: For Goodness’ Sake, Pay Attention!

Matthew 22:4-6 (NIV)  “Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’  “But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business.  The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them.

A king prepared a wedding banquet to celebrate the marriage of 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. Then he sent even more servants but again they paid no attention to the servants and went about their own business. 

Yesterday afternoon to unwind after a great Homecoming Joe and I drove up to Highlands and Franklin, NC to see the fall leaves. On the way we passed three separate bad wrecks.  The first involved six cars, the second four cars and the third maybe two cars but one was upside down. Joe and I agreed that most wrecks on the highway are a result of drivers just not paying attention to what they are doing and / or what others drivers are doing. Not paying attention to the path your actions are putting you on and not paying attention to the needs, cares or maybe warnings of others can also cause disastrous wrecks in one’s personal life. In this parable Jesus is describing the kingdom of heaven. At the banquet one of the guests who does attend comes without the proper clothing and is evicted.  Jesus concludes his story with, “Many are invited but few are chosen.” Perhaps he is saying that the chosen ones will be those who respond to God’s invitation (pay attention) and who live out their relationship with God by responding to God’s desire for their lives – love God, love one another (put on Christ). 

God you are constantly inviting us to come into a relationship with you, but we prefer to tend to our own interests.  We give you our spare time, if there is any. Open our eyes, Lord so that we may be more attentive to you and to others.  In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.

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