You are cordially invited

Springtime has come to the Golden Plains and it is glorious. Mild temperatures, occasional rain, budding trees and growing gardens provide an abundance of evidence that we have traversed another dreary winter and summer is drawing nigh.

Yet, even if that evidence went missing, there's another seemingly foolproof source. The mailbox. This time of year it is filled with invitations. Invitations to graduations, graduation parties, weddings and bridal showers -- all in abundance. Hallmark must be having a heyday.

There is one invitation open to all.

Jesus issued the invitation several times, in the Gospels.

Remember some of them? There was the man who issued invitations which were gladly accepted, but when the day of the celebration arrived, those who had been invited and who had accepted with gladness, were suddenly too busy with other things to attend. The host sent his servants out into the streets to bring in the halt and the lame and the poor.

Elsewhere Jesus speaks plainly, saying "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry and he who believes in me with never be thirsty." (John 6:35)

Later he says, "I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved." (John 10:9)

The invitation and what accepting it means is made crystal clear in John 11:25 "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die."

The writer of Revelation issues this invitation, "the Spirit and the bride say, 'Come!' And let him who hears say, 'Come!' Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life." (Revelation 22:17)

Lisa sent the invitations to my surprise birthday party last fall from my computer, using my email, accessing all of my email addresses. (And still I had no idea what was to come.)

There were many memorable moments that day, friends and family arriving from far and near to bless the day.

Though the whole of the day was a welcome surprise, hidden in that surprise was another, sad surprise -- those who weren't , for whatever reason, there to celebrate. Immediately after my surprise party, I wrote of the experience and likened it to a glimpse of heaven, with happy reunions all around. Unfortunately, the sad part of my surprise can be likened to that glimpse of heaven as well. There are people here, that I love more dearly than life, that I may not see walking along the streets of gold, and that breaks my heart. Because they have failed to accept their invitation.

Funny thing about invitations. Typically, the invite is sent only to a select few. Typically, the invite is for a precise day and time. Come a day, or an hour, early, you miss it. Come a day, or an hour, late, you miss it.

Jesus' invitation isn't quite that restrictive -- which is why I love the parable of the laborers. There were those who showed up bright and early of a morning, ready to work. The bossman hired them on the spot and named their wage. They agreed and set to it. There was still more work than workers, so the bossman went back out and hired more laborers, offering them the same day rate as he offered the early risers. They agreed. As the afternoon drew down to evening, the work still wasn't done, and yet more workers were hired, again at the same wage as those who had been toiling for hours and those who had toiled all afternoon. When it came time to settle the accounts, the early-risers and those hired midday were angry that those who had only worked scant hours were receiving the same pay. The bossman chided them, saying, "I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous.

"So the last will be first, and the first will be last." (Matthew 20:14, 15)

The message is clear. Come. Come early, come late, but please, just come.

"Behold, I am coming soon. My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done." Revelation 22:12 (NIV)

Things you won't see in heaven: Calendars