I often wonder how I got into the Kingdom of God.

Sometimes, in gatherings with fine, upstanding, righteous people, I feel like the guy with a huge pimple on the end of his nose.  People are nice but they can’t help but stare.

Jesus followed up. “Yes. For there was once a man who threw a great dinner party and invited many. When it was time for dinner, he sent out his servant to the invited guests, saying, ‘Come on in; the food’s on the table.’ ‭‭Luke‬ ‭14:16-17‬ ‭MSG‬‬

The invited guests appear to be the “in crowd” in this story.  They were the accepted, the cool.

One problem, when it came time to feast, they didn’t want to eat.  They were too cool to go to the feast.

But, our King, our Master, knows how cool He is.  He knows the value of the feast He is setting before the world.  He doesn’t meet their standards, we meet His.

“The servant went back and told the master what had happened. He was outraged and told the servant, ‘Quickly, get out into the city streets and alleys. Collect all who look like they need a square meal, all the misfits and homeless and wretched you can lay your hands on, and bring them here.’”  Luke‬ ‭14:21‬ ‭MSG‬‬

This is my crowd.  The ones who can’t say anything, do anything right.  The ones who don’t fit in. The ones who are broken, hungry, whose dreams have been reduced to getting something to eat.

“The master said, ‘Then go to the country roads. Whoever you find, drag them in. I want my house full! Let me tell you, not one of those originally invited is going to get so much as a bite at my dinner party.’” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭14:23-24‬ ‭MSG‬‬

Yep!  And I’m the kind that has to be dragged in.  Too fearful, too broken to accept God’s love, His generous love for me, I would run and hide rather than run to His banquet.

My God, my King, my Love found me, dragged me, clothed me in His splendor and sat me down so I could eat.  And, from time to time, He goes and finds me, drags me back to His table again.  He reminds me who I am, where I now belong and we eat together.

I was not invited.

Oh, but I am loved.  I am accepted.