Once a year there comes a day for many people when family and friends will gather together to celebrate the day they were born. Yes, I’m talking about Birthdays. It’s a day, many times, filled with parties, well wishes, presents, and lots and lots of cake. Birthday’s are great occasions. Today happens to be my birthday. I will be spending it pampering myself and enjoying the company of dear friends. Lunch is definitely in store. A wonderful birthday meal to celebrate my special day. I feel blessed already just thinking about it.

What is it that makes a great birthday celebration? It’s not the food or the presents. It’s not the decorations or the location. Those things are nice, but they don’t make a great party. What makes a great birthday celebration is the relationships that we have with the people in attendance. It’s the communicating and the loving and the sharing with one another on that special day. That’s what makes the time so enjoyable and memorable.

Did you know that God is a partying God? He throws some of the best parties too. His welcome home parties are  the grandest five star events I’ve ever been to. I’ve have had the privilege of attending many, my own included. The best thing about His parties is that everyone is welcome to come. He doesn’t discriminate based on race or economic status. He doesn’t select only the ones that look or talk a certain way. He doesn’t pick only the popular ones or the most talented or the highest educated to come. No, all are invited and all are welcome.

The thing that baffles me is that even though everyone is welcome to come, not everyone wants too. What? Who wouldn’t want to come to a banquet where the most lavish of tables has been prepared by God himself with blessings abounding and cups overflowing?

Each one of us have been personally and specifically invited by Jesus himself to be present at his upcoming wedding celebration. The date hasn’t been set yet, but the invitations have been sent out and he is awaiting the replies.

If you look closely at the invitation, you haven’t just been invited to be a guest at the party. You have been invited to be His bride. He has already purchased your garment and paid for all your beauty treatments that will remove every spot, wrinkle and blemish. He didn’t go down to the local Wal-mart to get it either. He purchased the best, made with the finest of materials. It sure wasn’t cheap. Did you see the tab? It cost him everything he had. It cost him his very life just to have you by His side for all eternity.

If you have not yet responded to His RSVP, now is a great time to call Him up and let him know you will be there. When you call, share with him that you are fully aware you don’t deserve a place at his table; that you are thankful he has paid such a high price for you to be able to attend; that you submit to him in all ways, giving him your very heart; and that you will be taking part at the wedding celebration.

If you have responded, but since that time decided other places where more important than coming to his wedding, please reconsider that decision. Now is a great time for you as well to call Him up and let Him know that you will be in attendance. If you wait, thinking you’ll just show up once the party has already started, you will miss your chance to get through the door. You see, your name must be on the RSVP list or you won’t be allowed entrance.

Take time right now to RSVP to God’s invitation. None of us deserves a place at His table, but we are all invited to come. He is going all out and sparing no cost to make this the greatest celebration of all time. Won’t you join me there?