Royal Wedding

The Prince of Wales and Queen Elizabeth II cordially invite you to attend the royal wedding ceremony of Prince William to Miss Catherine Middleton.

The Queen invites you to stay at Buckingham Palace for as long as you desire. All accommodations and arrangements for your enjoyment are provided by the royal family.
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Did you get one of those invitations this week?

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You didn't?

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Well, neither did I. But if I had, I would already be shopping for the trip. What do you wear to a royal wedding? And a stay at Buckingham? Whoo-wee...I wouldn't need coaxing, cajoling, or extra incentives to sign on. I recognize a golden opportunity when I see it.

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Most rational people would quickly accept an invitation like that and feel humbled with gratitude to be invited. After all, we're just commoners. We're nothing special. So to be called out, selected for grandeur for no reason at all sounds like a fairy tale.

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Just such an invitation has been sent from the Royal Family of Heaven with your name on it. The invitation alone should be enough to send adrenaline racing through your system. Me? You're kidding! I'm invited? But why? I haven't done anything worthy of that.

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That SHOULD be the response, but oddly enough the same guy who would drop everything to attend Prince William's wedding barely lifts a brow at the invitation to Christ's wedding. And that one lasts for eternity.

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Instead, we find well-meaning preachers of the Gospel peddling those invitations as though they had to meet a quota or be fired. "C'mon, don't you wanna be saved? We'll throw in a pizza party, camp once a year, and a get-out-of-Hell-free card. So whaddya say?"

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The solid gold invitation from God is often reduced by well-meaning evangelists to a plastic-covered trinket, such as the street-hawkers will sell all over London commemorating the royal event for $5.99.

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"Get your party invitations here, folks! Come see what God can do for you! Yes sir, step right up and dial-a-prayer! Watch God turn your dreams into reality right before your eyes. With this little prayer you can have your own god right in your pocket. Take Him with you wherever you go. Brings you luck!"

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Of course you won't hear those exact words from the pulpit. I hope. But sadly, the message is coming through anyway. We no longer consider ourselves "sinners in the hands of an angry God" as Jonathan Edwards proclaimed with such incredible results. We prefer a sermon entitled "pretty good folks shaking hands with a jovial god." And what's sadder still, is that many are signing on having no idea that they've just bought a plastic trinket rather than the real thing.

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Jesus said, "Wide is the road that leads to destruction, but narrow is the path that leads to life and not many will find it." The life Jesus meant was one that requires repentance. A change of direction. A turning away from seeking my way to seeking His face, His righteousness, until He calls me home.

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Mention that to one of the new "converts" and you'll likely get a response like this: "Righteousness? Ooo...no thanks. I didn't know righteousness was part of the bargain. I just wanted the free stuff."

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God has already sent your invitation (see Sidebar). It's enough in itself. No gimmicks. No trinkets. No cheap lures. It requires everything you have in exchange for everything God has. Not a fair trade, but it was His idea.

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And what's more, you won't need to shop or pack. That's provided too!

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