Dining at His Table

Our Lord told a convicting parable about making excuses.  He said,

“A certain man gave a great supper and invited many, and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, ‘Come, for all things are now ready.’ But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused.’ Still another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’”

~Luke 14:16-20

I believe that this story in many ways illustrates our devotional times with the Lord.  Our Savior invites us to dine with Him.  He has prepared a fabulous feast, with all the delicacies the world can imagine.  He desires to fill us with the bread of life.  He has a glass overflowing with living water just waiting for us to put it to our lips.  He doesn’t force us to come, but He longs for us to come.  He invites us out of the deepest longing of His heart.  He wants to dine with us.  He yearns for intimacy with us.  He aches to pour out His manifold blessings upon us.  We have been given the amazing, astounding, thrilling privilege of joining the King of kings daily in His throne of grace for a banquet, to come and partake of all that He is.

Yet how often do we reply, I cannot come!  I have way to many things on my plate today.  There simply isn’t enough time.  May I be excused this time?

Oh, how horrible!  Would we rather eat out of the garbage pail than dine with the King?  We try to feed ourselves with the temporary, discussing food that this world offers instead of the delicate morsels all carefully prepared for us by the King Himself!

What is your excuse?  What is taking up your time?  Is it truly of more value than partaking of the wonders of the Prince of peace?  Note that many of the excuses made by the dinner guests in the story don’t have much merit.  Going to see a new piece of ground.  Going to test five yoke of oxen.  A wife.  Oftentimes the things that keep us from the Lord don’t have much merit either.  Facebook.  TV.  Video games.  Meaningless conversations.  Shopping.  Sports.  Excessive working.  Do these things really matter above the Lord?  When we place a higher priority over the Lord in these areas, we are telling the Lord that we value the Lord above them.  Who do we love more?

Have we forgotten His promise to us in Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you”?  When we seek Him first, not only will we be completely filled and satisfied, He will also provide for the physical needs that we may have been concerned about.

Come to the well.  Drink.  Be refreshed.  Dine upon the healing and satisfying morsels of the King.  Eat at His table.  Dine with Him.  Enjoy the peaceful intimacy of being in His presence.  And watch as He transforms you from the inside out.