Invited

Invited

By Touching Lives 

“For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.” 1 Peter 3:18

It is the season of parties. Christmas parties, holiday parties, New Year’s parties…there is a lot of celebrating going on this time of year. There are cookie swaps, ornament exchanges, and secret Santa gifts. But did you know that God is also planning a party? His is not a potluck dinner but a feast. It is more than small talk in the office conference room. His party will take place in the throne room of God and will last for eternity. There is one problem, though. In order to come, you must be righteous. Uh oh.

All of us occasionally do what is right. A few often do what is right. But none of us always do what is right. Romans 3:10 says, “There is no one righteous, no, not one.” Only God is righteous. “Our God is right in everything He does” Daniel 9:14. So can God, who is always right and just, accept unrighteousness? Can He extend an invitation to sinners without lowering His standards? Can He overlook our sin?

God told Isaiah that righteousness was the standard by which His house is measured (Isaiah 28:17); and the party is in His house, according to His standards and not ours. His party is for the right and we are wrong. So what do we do? The answer is jaw-droppingly simple – we confess our need. By virtue of God’s gift in Christ, we can receive a place at the party.

God didn’t want to celebrate alone. He had a way to make people right with Him. Picture Jesus in heaven before His birth. It was both a beautiful and horrible moment. He would be punished for our mistakes. He would take our shame. He would be treated as a sinner. Because we couldn’t join Him, Emmanuel joined us. “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth,” John 1:14.

There is room at God’s eternal feast for you…for anyone who will believe. Have you confessed your need for Him? If not, do it now. He wants you there. And He has made a way for you.

Father, Thank You all that Christmas means. You have made a way for me to be right with You. This is the greatest gift I will ever receive. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.