Invitation to a banquet
by Mike Furborough
The Amazing Invitation:
No special qualifications needed;
No particular connections or exclusive memberships required;
No secret passwords or unique attributes expected;
No campaigning or canvassing,
No examinations or reference checks;
Just an amazing invitation to a feast;
to find our place at Your table,
alongside these other unworthy ones -
these other beloved ones -
these others, humble enough to accept the invitation
without asking who else will be there.
Gracious and generous God, You invite us to taste and see and, when we do, You lay a bounty of good things before us.
Hors d’oeuvres
Lord, we thank You for the work of the Holy Spirit; for the little promptings that are offered to us before we begin to appreciate the banquet to come; little nuggets to whet our appetite, spark our interest and tickle our tastebuds. For the many and diverse ways that the Spirit awakens our awareness to Your presence and Your glory.
Starters
Lord, we thank You for the people and experiences that were the starters of our faith; the glory and grandeur of Your creation, from mighty mountain to smallest flower; the Sunday School teachers, class leaders, preachers and teachers who showed us who You are, what You do, and what is to come. For family and friends who have sown the seeds of our faith and nurtured us on our journey, for their careful guidance and encouragement, introducing us to the tastes and flavours that complement the main meal ahead.
Main Course
Lord, we thank You for where we are today; for the solid food of Your Word that you give us day by day; for prayer that, like potatoes, fills as and satisfies our daily hunger for Your presence; for Scripture, song and study - the meat of our faith - which assures us of Your consistent love and care. For the wide variety of new ideas which, like vegetables, complement our feast as we grow in faith. For the discussions, debates and literature which, like sauces and the gravy, add a little bit of spice to bring interest when we think we’ve tried it all before.
For the bread and the wine that remind us of the cost of it all.
Dessert
Lord, we thank you for the sweetness of being reminded that, although we so often do not get our just desserts, Your everlasting grace and mercy forgives and sustains us to the end of our meal.
The Cheese Course
Lord, just as there are many cheeses from around the world, so we give You thanks as we delight in the many characters, cultures, languages and abilities of all who worship You with us - differences which remind us of the rich variety in Your kingdom. We rejoice that we can all meet together and share in the great banquet that you place before us here and in the life to come.
RSVP
Lord, thank You for the invitation that you send to us throughout our lives, to spend time with You;
We thank You for Jesus, the Word of Your invitation, who delivers Your message and sits with us as we eat and share together.
Jesus, Lord of the Feast, with thankful and open hearts, we accept Your amazing invitation. We pray, Lord, that You will receive our response, given in faith - our humble and grateful ‘YES’ - and that we will enjoy and share Your company with others as we join together in this life, and in the life to come.
