Have you accepted Jesus’ invitation to follow him?

Just last week we celebrated the national holiday of Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is a time to gather with family and friends and to remember what in life we have to be thankful for. On this day we feast on delicious food. Many spend time in front of their televisions watching Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and football. But for people who cannot be with their families and close friends, the day can be a bit of a downer. With so many businesses closed, it can be difficult to find a meal to eat.

I am typically in this last group, as I am usually alone on most holidays. My family tends to have our various celebrations on other dates to accommodate all of the various work schedules that need to be considered. For me, a holiday spent alone is not sad or lonely as I am accustomed to it. Yet, even for me, life holds unexpected surprises.

This year on Thanksgiving Day, I received an invitation for Thanksgiving dinner at a cousin’s house. Instead of being alone, I was surrounded by 25 other people. And I must say, I really enjoyed myself. Life brings with it many different types of invitations that bring love and happiness into our lives. For me, the greatest invitation I ever received was from God, an invitation sealed by the Holy Spirit to be a follower of the Lamb, Jesus Christ. That invitation was given not just to me, but to all. Have you answered Jesus’ invitation to follow Him? I sure hope you do.

“Then the angel said to me: ‘Write this: Favored are those who have been invited to the wedding banquet of the Lamb.’ He said to me: ‘These are the true words of God.’” — Revelation 19:9