Issue 986 – The Banquet – February 18, 2023
Along about this time every year, I get to thinking about a special party.
Forty-six years ago tomorrow, Kathy and I were married in Kingston, Ontario. Next to becoming a believer, meeting her was the best thing that has ever happened to me.
It wasn’t love at first sight. We met in September and disliked each other. We were in classes together all day long for our military trades training. We went out on a first date in October, I proposed in November, and we were married in February.
I was barely nineteen, and Kathy was twenty. We share the same birthdays but in different years. We were young, in love and clueless. We knew nothing about how to plan a wedding and certainly had no idea about marriage.
By the grace of God, we have managed to stay together through life. We vowed to remain together through richer, poorer, sickness, health, better and worse. We have experienced all those and more in our time. I am so grateful to God for her.
At our reception, the Junior Ranks Club catered the supper. There was plenty left over for them to serve a second late-night table later in the evening. We thought that was pretty wild and extravagant (remember, we were two young, inexperienced privates.) When I think about that day, I start thinking about an even more extravagant banquet to come.
When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.” Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ “But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’ “Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’ “Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’ “The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’“‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’ “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full. I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’” Luke 14:15-24
Many have been invited to the banquet, but few accept. The rejects and misfits, the broken and the lost, are invited and brought to the table. That latter group is you and me, my friends.
The Lord will bring us to the banquet, the ultimate marriage supper.
Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.” Revelation 19:6-9
What a celebration that will be. All the people of Christ from every generation, nation and background gathered to celebrate our Saving Lord and King.
Let us truly rejoice and be glad for all He has done, continues to do and will do for all of eternity.
Be Blessed
Hallelu Yah / Praise God
Kevin
Gleanings From The Word
Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life.
Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)
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All contents, “Gleanings From The Word” and “Experience an Extraordinary God in Ordinary Life,” are © 2001, 2023 K.F. “Kevin” Corbin Gleanings From The Word.
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is from the English Standard Version (ESV).
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