Our God versus our work and our lives?
10 When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred (shaken, like an earthquake) and asked, ‘Who is this?’ Matthew 21
We could rightly believe that normal life came to a standstill, yet no-one understood that the greatest event in human history was soon to unfold. But, the city was stirred.
The next chapter, Matthew 22, begins with the ‘Parable of the Wedding Banquet’.
2 ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. 3 He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, BUT THEY REFUSED TO COME. Matthew 22
4 ‘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 slaughtered, and everything is ready (The King had gone to a lot of bother to prepare a feast for the guests). Come to the wedding banquet.”
Then we’re told some reasons why the people didn’t come.
5 ‘But they paid no attention and went off – one to HIS FIELD, another to HIS BUSINESS. (This is expanded in Luke 14)
We all have free will to choose and God won’t override it. One went to His Field, another to His Business. They were Self-absorbed or Self-centred, they put their own affairs above the Master’s. Sadly that’s the case with so many today, even believers. Even while sitting in places of worship, many of us are thinking of ourselves and our lives.
8 ‘Then he said to his servants, “The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. 9 So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.” 10 So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.
The chapter goes on to tell about the mistreatment of the King’s servants and His anger towards those who were guilty. It ends with a disturbing footnote;
14 ‘For many are invited, but few are chosen.’
We all have duties that we’re responsible for here, things we must attend to, but the things of our lives mustn’t consume us. We were bought at a high price and our every breath is from the King.
The King will have his banquet and everything will stop once again for the Lord’s presence, just as when He entered Jerusalem. May we be there to celebrate it with Him.
God bless and keep us till that day.