The Wedding

I received an invitation to a wedding in the mail.   I get really excited about weddings when I know God has ordained the relationship.  It is quite obvious that God is leading in theirs.  This is an exciting time for them.  I couldn't imagine missing the wedding of these beautiful people.  So when I received the invitation, I immediately said, "Yes, we will be there!" I couldn't imagine saying no to my friend and her soon to be husband.  

But the crazy thing? There was a wedding where the wedding guests all said no.  To a king.  Can you believe it?  A king was holding a wedding for his son.  He sent out all the invitations.  No one RSVP'd.  No one showed.  The king sent his servants to bring the guests to the wedding.  Maybe there was car trouble.  Or the bridge was out.  Maybe the king would have to send helicopters to the guests.  But even with a personal chauffeur to the wedding of the king's son, the guests would not come.  Can you believe that?  Even after the servants told the guests that the dinner was prepared and the best food was there for their liking, they still didn't want to go.  They had other things to do.  Better things.  What could be better than the wedding prepared by the king?

The king was rightfully upset.  So he finally told his servants that the wedding is ready, but there needed to be guests.  He told them not to waste any more time of those he invited to the wedding.  Instead, find as many people as you can find and invited them.  The servants went everywhere.  Walmart, Sams, Target, parks, streets, houses, tents.  Everywhere.  They did not have to worry about what to wear because the king would provide wedding garments for each guest.  So they all came.  They accepted the invitation.  

If I was invited to a wedding put on by the king, I would want to make sure I was wearing my best.  My best would be whatever the king provided for me. I would gladly put on the garments provided to me.  Yet, there was a guest who chose not to put on the wedding garments.  He was approached by the king.  "Where are your wedding garments?"

He was speechless.  He had no excuse for his actions.  All he had to do was put on the clothing provided for him.  This was unacceptable.  He was kicked out of the wedding.  I am sure the king was saddened by this.  It is unfortunate, but he had a choice.  He chose to wear his own filthy rags to the wedding of a prince.  

Can you believe there were people who refused the invitation to the wedding of the king's son?  Or that someone would choose not to wear garments provided by the king?

Although this is actually a parable told by Jesus in Matthew 22:1-14, it is something that will actually happen. 

We are all invited to the wedding.  The King of kings is hosting a wedding.  He wants us all there.  He has sent out the invitations.  He wants you to accept His invitation.  He doesn't want you to come in your street clothes.  He doesn't want you to wear your filthy rags.  He is providing a robe for you to wear.  The robe represents the character you must possess to be accounted fit for the wedding.  Each guest will be judged by their character, the one thing we will take to heaven with us.  

In Christ Object Lessons, chapter 24, page 310, it says,

 

"By the king's examination of the guests at the feast has represented a work of judgment.  The guests at the gospel feast are those who profess to serve God, those whose names are written in the book of life.  But not all who profess to be Christians are true disciples.  Before the final reward is given, it must be decided who are fitted to share the inheritance of the righteous.  This decision must be made prior to the second coming of Christ in the clouds of heaven; for when He comes, His reward is with Him, 'to give every man according as his work shall be.' Before His coming, then, the character of every man's work will have been determined, and to every one of Christ's followers the reward will have been apportioned according to his deeds."

You are invited to the wedding.  Will you accept His invitation?  God has a robe of righteousness for you.  Will you put it on?  I want to accept it.  I want to wear His robe.  But this is possible only By God's Amazing Grace.

Mountains and Valleys

Have you ever been on the top of a mountain only to be knocked down into the valley?  You just got a job promotion, but your car broke down.  You just graduated high school, but you haven't decided on a major and everyone keeps asking you.  Or even more, you aren't able to have a graduation.  We find ourselves in these high moments in life.  Things are going wonderful, but then something happens and it brings us down low.  I know I have felt that way so many times.  I think the hardest ones are where I am up high and I share this with someone, but they then bring me down with their discouragement.

Someone in the Bible had a similar situation.  He was high up on the mountain top.  Things were great.  Then he was afraid for his life and zoom.  Back down in the valley.  Yes, I'm talking about Elijah.

In 1 Kings 18, Elijah went against the prophets of Baal to see who served the one true God.  The prophets of Baal ran around in circles, cut themselves, called out to Baal, danced.  But nothing.  No fire came down to consume the sacrifice.  Then it was Elijah's turn.  Such contrast.  He prayed to God saying,

“Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word.  Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that You are the Lord God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again.” 1 Kings 18: 36-37.

He came to God in such peace and reverence.   He praised God.  And God answered.  Fire came down and burned the sacrifice.  All the prophets of Baal were then killed and the drought that was there ended after 3 and a half years.

Talk about a mountain top experience.  I am sure many people were converted that day due to the witness of Elijah.  Unfortunately, we have to turn the page and go to the next chapter

In 1 Kings 19, Jezebel wants the life of Elijah.  She is furious.  Now if the threat of your life does not bring you down off of the mountain top, I'm not sure what will.

Not only was his life at stake, he felt alone.  He thought he was the only prophet of God left.  So...he left.  He ran for the mountains.  Funny that he came off of a mountain top experience to go to the mountains to experience his valley.

God asked Elijah why he was there. His response? "I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.” 1 Kings 19:10

I wonder if God laughed.  Honestly.  I mean, God knows everything.  Technically God didn't even have to ask Elijah why he was there.  He already knew.  And God's response after all was said and done? Go back.  In verse 15, God tells Elijah to go back to where he came from because he wasn't the only one.  There were seven thousand still in Israel who has not bowed their knee to Baal.  There were still seven thousand who had stood faithful to God.

There is a song by Tauren Wells called, "Hills and Valleys".

On the mountains, I will bow my life
To the One who set me there
In the valley, I will lift my eyes
To the One who sees me there
When I'm standing on the mountain
I didn't get there on my own
When I'm walking through the valley
I know I am not alone!

That is key. We need to praise God whether we are on the mountain top or in the valley.  Those are the two places we usually forget.  We didn't get on top of the mountain on our own.  When Elijah defeated the prophets of Baal, it was God all the way.  When he was in his valley, God was with him the whole time.  He had never left or deserted him.   We are not alone in our hard times.  God is there for us each step of the way.

God says in Isaiah 54:10, "For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee."

In the book: Thoughts From the Mount of Blessings, we are told:

If you have given yourself to God, to do His work, you have no need to be anxious for tomorrow. He whose servant you are, knows the end from the beginning. The events of tomorrow, which are hidden from your view, are open to the eyes of Him who is omnipotent. MB 100.1 

When we take into our hands the management of things with which we have to do, and depend upon our own wisdom for success, we are taking a burden which God has not given us, and are trying to bear it without His aid. We are taking upon ourselves the responsibility that belongs to God, and thus are really putting ourselves in His place. We may well have anxiety and anticipate danger and loss, for it is certain to befall us. But when we really believe that God loves us and means to do us good we shall cease to worry about the future. We shall trust God as a child trusts a loving parent. Then our troubles and torments will disappear, for our will is swallowed up in the will of God. MB 100.2

When you are on the mountain experience, praise God for getting you there.  Hold on to that.  Write it down so you don't forget you were there.  Then when you are in the valley, look towards Him, the One who will never leave you nor forsake you.  Go back to the memory of the mountain experience.  Your valley is only temporary.  He will bring you through.  This is possible only By God's Amazing Grace.