Daily Devotion July 18

July 18: Matthew 22:1-10

KJV Key Verse: Matthew 22:5
5 But they made light of it, and went their ways , one to his farm, another to his merchandise:

Devotion:
Sometimes it is hard to believe how people can turn down invitations to parties or feasts but then you meet some people and wonder how they would actually cope with being at the party! Whatever way you look at it this parable is told in a few different ways, all of which are basically saying that unless you respond to an invitation you may well find you are left out of future events!

This does not just relate to parties or big events, it can be something as simple as responding to an invite to come and have a cup of tea or to chat about something. You know what it is like to have someone ignore your plea for help or to turn round and say something crass like ‘whatever’ or ‘so what’! So why then do we respond in that way to Christ? He is inviting us into a great future with Him. He is inviting us to the best party in the world and yet so many people are either ignoring Him or responding with the ‘whatever’ look!

God wants us to be safe. He sent Jesus Christ in human form into this world so we can be sought out by Him and saved by Him. Jesus came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10) and not to come and find the safe people and have a safe party with them. Christ came to befriend the sinners and allow them to know real love and mercy.

I know what it is like to work with young people for many years, teaching them about God and watching them as they walk out the door without so much as a thank you never to come back again. I don’t get upset anymore because I know I have done my best to plant the seeds in their hearts. I know Christ is the one who will germinate those seeds. I know they will be thinking about their life one day and may even remember some of the stuff I taught them so many years ago. Leave God to do His work!

Points to Ponder:
Do you grow weary with Christian work?

Have you ever been thanked twenty years later?