Have You Seen the E-Vite List?

I’ve been invited to a 1960s theme Thanksgiving celebration. It calls for preparing a dish from that era. I was a child then, but I feel like I am eating the same things today as I did back then. Even when I consider attire. My clothing style has not changed much. I was in elastic-waist pants then, and so I am today. But I am excited about going to the dinner. It has little to do with the food or the attire. I am excited about being with the family.

It’s a new family, well, new to me. We connected through Ancestry.com. A genealogy researcher contacted me, saying she thought there were people I might like to meet. We had a Zoom meeting where we shared details of our family tree, and lo and behold, I connected with my great-grandmother Ragland's nieces and nephews.

My new relatives do not really know me, but the fact that I am family is what seems to matter more than anything. I like that.

Jesus enjoyed being invited to dinner parties. Sometimes he even invited himself, as in the case of Zacchaeus. “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.”  (Luke 19:5). Jesus is also known to host a dinner party. There was the dinner party before his crucifixion, also known as the Last Supper. We also know of a great feast far off in the future. It is actually a wedding banquet. God the Father is hosting it. It is a feast for his Son, the groom and his bride, the Church.  All are welcome.  It is an honor to be invited.  God has invited all of Abraham and Sarah’s children, Jews, Gentiles, young, old, rich, poor, crippled, and healthy. All are welcome.  The guest list is enormous—a number that cannot be counted, far greater than 144,000. It may be one of those white dress-themed events. I am not sure, but I am thankful to be invited. Not only are we all invited, but we are also encouraged to invite others to join us. No one should be left out.

By the way, I have it on good authority that you do not have to bring a dish. Thanks be to God! All praise, glory, and honor to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit for making us family!

Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of God.” – Revelation 19:9