The Guest List

"Then the angel said to me: 'Write: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!'" Revelation 19:9 (NIV)

Our daughter is getting married next spring. It's been an exciting month securing the church, the banquet hall, caterer and DJ. Our mouths have watered over the menu choices. We've "oooed and ahhhhed" over cake designs. We've joined in chorus trying to pick out the right songs for "Daddy's Dance", the cutting of the cake and what would accompany her in the throwing of her bouquet. We've pictured the hall all dazzled with lights, flowers, tulle, china and guests dining and dancing the night away.

Ah. The guests. We've got our initial guest list down, too. I hadn't thought much about what it meant to be an invited guest at a wedding when I made up my own guest list twenty-five years ago or when I've attended weddings since. But, being the parent and helping my daughter and future son-in-law create their guest list...it's been an awakening.

The people on your list are those who are most honored to you and the wedding couple. They're the people that mean the most to you, have invested the most, risked the most to be in relationship with you or the couple. It's odd but there's some people you don't even think twice about adding to the guest list. They're those friends or relatives that you spend the most time with, share your lives with, you're close to them. Then there's others you stop and ponder about for a few minutes. They're people you love. You'd be there for each other if needed but you don't necessarily spend a lot of time with them because of time or distance or circumstance. You may have been close at some point in your lives but now, not so much. But, in your heart, they should be honored with an invitation. They do hold a special place in your heart so they become part of the guest list as well.

Jesus has invited us to be an honored guest at His wedding supper. All who confess with their mouth and believe He is the Lord will be an invited guest. In fact we will collectively be His bride. What an honor. What a feast. What a celebration it will be!