JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Connection, today’s Encounter with Jesus examines one of the parables He taught from Luke 14.

“A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ But they all alike began to make excuses. One said, “I just bought a field, another I just bought oxen, another, I just got married.”

The invitations went out, but the invited guests had other priorities. Parables are stories about the kingdom of God. Jesus is talking about the great banquet that God is preparing for His people in heaven. Yet, when the value of this invitation is not fully appreciated, we tend to make excuses for not accepting this invitation. We have business to run. We have plans to make. We have places to go, and people to see.

But if we stop and consider the treasure of His grace, and how His love brings refreshment to our soul, and restoration with God, the incentive for saying “Yes” outweighs our excuses for saying “no.”

God’s grace continues to reach out with the simple invitation to come to Jesus, and to trust Him as Savior and Lord. He desires for His house to be full. There is room for you.

A daily connection with Christ leads to a celebration of His love and the eternal life that He gives.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – At the burning bush, God was calling Moses to lead His people out of Egypt toward the Promised Land.

Moses needed some encouragement. He had reasons to excuse himself from this assignment.

“Who am I to go to Pharoah to make such a request?”

“What if I go back to the Israelites and they don’t believe that You sent me?”

“I am not eloquent. I am slow of speech.”

“Lord, please send someone else to do it.”

For every excuse that Moses made, God responded with assurances that He would make provisions to help Moses accomplish the task.

Where God calls us into service, He provides us with His presence and resources to help us fulfill His calling on our lives. Moses ran out of excuses, and did go back to Egypt to lead the Israelites out of Egypt.

The calling of Moses is a lesson of faith worth remembering.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com