2 Peter 1:3-4
Everything that goes into a life of pleasing God has been miraculously given to us by getting to know, personally and intimately, the One who invited us to God. The best invitation we ever received! We were also given absolutely terrific promises to pass on to you—your tickets to participation in the life of God after you turned your back on a world corrupted by lust.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
In the 1980s and 1990s, my mom and dad went on several FAM tours. According to a document at www.latour.lsu.edu, a FAM tour is “a free or reduced-rate trip offered to travel professionals to acquaint them with what a destination, attraction or supplier has to offer.” In my mom’s case, these destinations and attractions (like resorts, theme parks and more) hoped that she would write a favorable review of their offerings for the magazines and newspapers in which her articles were published.
In the mid-1990s, my mother was offered a free cruise aboard The Big Red Boat… a “Looney Tunes”-themed cruise ship sailing from Florida to the Bahamas. For the cruise, my mom was told she could not only bring my dad… but also her children! Even though my siblings and I were grown, Mom invited me, my sister, and my niece to join them… and we did!
Because of my mother’s association with certain editors and publishers, she was invited to enjoy this opportunity. And because she passed on the invitation to us, we could enjoy this 4-day cruise, as well. My mother established this relationship and her reputation as a writer, and she enjoyed trips to several major cities and resorts… the nicest rooms, tickets to top events, gourmet meals, and much more. She and my dad could easily have taken the cruise by themselves, but they graciously extended an invitation to us to join them. Once we accepted the invitation, we had to purchase our own plane tickets and fly to Florida to meet them and board the boat. But once we got there, everything else was provided.
Do you see where I’m headed with this? God sent Jesus to earth with an offer of salvation – forgiveness of our sins and Eternal life – as well as blessings we can’t even count in this lifetime. All we have to do is accept the invitation… and agree to serve Him and share His Good News with others. And the best part is that we can bring others along with us! We can tell those we encounter about Jesus and invite them to enjoy the same promises and blessings that God has offered us.
Those who offer FAM tours have no guarantee that the attendees will produce glowing reviews and write dozens of articles that drum up plenty of new business. Yet they continue to offer the tours. And God offers His gift of salvation and Eternal Life, knowing that many of us will accept His invitation to follow… and then do the bare minimum as Christian believers. Still… He offers.
I’m not sure why so many of us are reluctant to operate in the lavish blessings of God. I can’t explain why we treat the One who has given us EVERYTHING so poorly… or with such ambivalence. I’m certainly not sure why He wants to bless such an ungrateful lot like us… but He does. The invitation from God is better than any FAM tour or free cruise. Accepting and showing appreciation should be a no-brainer.
Have you said “Yes!” to God’s invitation? How are you treating Him in return? Are you living in a way that glorifies and honors this lavish gift… and have you shared God’s invitation through Jesus Christ with others? Isn’t it about time you did?
©2012 Debbie Robus
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