Week 4 | Day 1 | A Place at the Table

Command:

“Tell the people there to come.” Luke 14:23 (ICB)

Read:

“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:17 

Reflect:

While visiting my daughter recently, I learned about her friend facing tough times and being alienated by her immediate family due to differences in lifestyle. She was enduring a period of loneliness and rejection. 

This touched my heart, prompting a strong urge to ask my daughter to reach out to her friend and extend an invitation to join our family for dinner. I wanted my daughter’s friend to understand that our home offered a safe space where she could feel loved no matter the circumstances. 

In John 3:17, we discover an invitation to respond to God's love and grace. Similarly, my daughter's friend had the choice to accept or decline our dinner invitation. She chose to join us, and during that evening, she shared her experiences, her pain, and her longing for acceptance. As a family, we listened and loved. It was a profound and touching moment, embodying the very essence of God's boundless love and grace.

React:

Consider those in your circle who may be struggling with isolation and rejection. Could you consider extending an invitation to share God's love and grace with them?

Pray:

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the incredible love demonstrated through the gift of your Son, Jesus. Help us to emulate this love by extending invitations of kindness and grace to those in need. May we be instruments of salvation and healing in the lives of others, just as you are in ours. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.