The Upper Room Daily Devotional "True Guests" for Thursday, 6 March 2014 - Read Luke 14:15-24

The Upper Room Daily Devotional "True Guests" for Thursday, 6 March 2014 - Read Luke 14:15 When one of those who sat at the table with him heard these things, he said to him, “Blessed is he who will feast in God’s Kingdom!”
16 But he said to him, “A certain man made a great supper, and he invited many people. 17 He sent out his servant at supper time to tell those who were invited, ‘Come, for everything is ready now.’ 18 They all as one began to make excuses.
“The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please have me excused.’
19 “Another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I must go try them out. Please have me excused.’
20 “Another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I can’t come.’
21 “That servant came, and told his lord these things. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor, maimed, blind, and lame.’
22 “The servant said, ‘Lord, it is done as you commanded, and there is still room.’
23 “The lord said to the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 For I tell you that none of those men who were invited will taste of my supper.’”
The master said to the slave, “Go out into the roads and lanes, and compel people to come in, so that my house may be filled.”--Luke 14:23 (NRSV)
The members of the church had chosen to bring in the new year with a worship service that night. Ahead of time, many had declined to come, saying they had other places to go and people to visit. By midnight, no one had arrived. I was sad because I had spent a great deal of time preparing the program. Soon a young boy who attends Sunday school came by. He said, “Pastor, let’s go ahead with the service.” I said, “I don’t think so. No one is here.” The young boy looked at me and said, “But three of us are here — you, me and Jesus.” (See Matt. 18:20.) I realized that the purpose of this service was not simply to gather the people but to worship God and receive God’s blessings. After we sang a few joyous songs, neighbors from the area began to join us. It was a spirit-filled night, and many came to know Christ. This experience reminded me of the parable of the great dinner in Luke 14. After the host sent the invitations and received the news that the guests were not coming, he extended the invitation to include people from the “roads and lanes.” Our dinner became a true feast, where those who came truly wanted to be there. And they were fed by the Bread of Life, Jesus Christ.
The Author: Dennis Rojas (Ica, Peru)
Thought for the Day: 
God often changes our plans for the better.
Prayer: Dear loving Father, thank you for allowing us to come to your house and to sit at table with you. Amen.
Prayer focus: Those who live near my church
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