Daily Lent Devotions from Church Street UMC
Tuesday, March 2
By Rev. William H. Balch, March 15, 1979
The Call Worth Answering
Read: Luke 14:16-24
The teachings of our Lord are very real in our present day. I would like to share a parable that is written in response to the one found in Luke’s writings.
The telephone rings and John answers. Could he come for dinner, the caller asks, and John started to think. No, he could not come tonight since he was thinking about a new visitation program for the church. After hanging up the phone, he returned to the details.
The telephone rings, Tom answers. Dinner, tonight, — no I’ve just bought a new home and we’ve got a good deal to work on around the house.
Another call, Jean answers. She really cannot make the dinner since they are having company. When she hangs up, she calls The Browns to invite them to play bridge.
The calls continue but they all seem to be busy, happy, good people who just cannot make the dinner.
But what do you do with a meal you’ve prepared for those you care about? You call others – the man who lives in one room of a downtown rooming house; the girl whose life has been crowded with wild dreams from her drug use days; the woman with three fatherless children; the student who feels hopeless . . . other persons we all can name. And the dinner was a great celebration of life, for someone cared.
God invites all, but few of us respond. We may be about the good works of the world and fail to hear Him.
Prayer
Help us, O God, to listen for your call. Strengthen us to respond and to join in the celebration you bring to all of life. In Christ we pray. Amen.
