There's Still Room!

Ani had watched the servants running from the big house on the hill all day. And all day Ani had seen a significant number of people entering the house. The rumor on the street was that the master of the house had thrown a great party, and invited all his friends. However, they rudely ignored his invitation. So the master of the house instructed his servants to go into all the streets and lanes of the city and bring in the poor, crippled, blind, and lame.

Ani turned away from the festivities and trudged to the dirty stoop he called home. He rounded the corner and saw a well dressed man. He clothes were a vibrant color, but simple. Ani could tell even from the distance that the material was fine, but sturdy. Perfect for the working man of a wealthy.

"Hello," the man said. "Where are you going?"

Ani looked around. Was he talking to him? Timidly, Ani pointed at himself.

The man smiled and nodded. "Where are you going?"

"To that stoop." Ani pointed to the doorway of an abandoned building several feet away. He would have been ashamed to admit that was where he lived, but he was an orphan. What else could he say?

"Come to the feast my master has prepared."

"I've seen many people go into the big house. I'm sure there's not enough room for me." The kind servant man must not have realized that the feast was full.

The man shook his head. "There's room. I was just in the presence of my master. He sent us out again because there is still room. There's plenty of room for you at the feast."

Based on Luke 14:21-23

"So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.’” Luke 14:21-23

I was reading this parable, and was struck by how the servants went out to the streets and alleys, brought a ton of people back to the feast, and yet there was still room. The master of the feast sent them out again! There was still room!

There is always room in God's house.

That seems like such a silly, simple statement. Like, "Yeah, duh." But really think about it. In this parable, the poor, beaten, sick, crippled, and unworthy were brought back to the master's feast. It's a wonder this man didn't survey the crowd in his dining room and declare this feast a utter disaster. Instead, he sent his servants back into the streets for more of these people!

And those people are you and me!

No matter how you may view yourself and regardless if any of those things are true, God still wants you at His feast. He's still sending people into the streets and alleys of the city to invite you. He's still waiting for you to come.

"But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me."
1 Corinthians 15:10

His grace is more then enough to cover any dirt and grim on you. He wants you. Won't you come?

V. Joy Palmer