Jesus replied with this story: "A man
prepared a great feast and sent out many invitations. When the banquet was
ready, he sent his servant to tell the guests, 'Come, the banquet is ready.'
But they all began making excuses. One said, 'I have just bought a field and
must inspect it. Please excuse me.' Another said, 'I have just bought five
pairs of oxen, and I want to try them out. Please excuse me.' Another said, 'I
now have a wife, so I can't come.' "The servant returned and told his
master what they had said. His master was furious and said, 'Go quickly into
the streets and alleys of the town and invite the poor, the crippled, the
blind, and the lame.' After the servant had done this, he reported, 'There is
still room for more.' So his master said, 'Go out into the country lanes and
behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be
full. For none of those I first invited will get even the smallest taste of my
banquet.'" Luke 14:15-24
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When the time comes...
Will you accept the Invitation to the King's Banquet?
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When was the last time you got an invitation
to a big dinner—a banquet? We go to church potlucks occasionally and those are
big dinners—but not really one that we get an “invitation” to attend. A couple
of years ago we got invited to my cousin’s grandson’s wedding. The reception was outside at the
bride’s grandparents’ home. It was similar to a wedding banquet like we’ll be
attending in heaven one day! Food! Lots of food! There were cheese nibbles, veggie kabobs,
along with spiced and candied nuts and other assorted appetizers. The BBQ Buffet was amazing with meats and tasty summery salads. Refreshing lemonade and ice-cold
water plus other beverages and wine to toast the Bride and Groom. Live music
and a dance floor that the bride’s grandfather constructed just for the
occasion. And of course, wedding cake. A lovely day. I was glad we went—that we
didn’t turn away the invitation by finding something else to do and making an
excuse not to attend—although we didn’t really know the bride or groom. My
cousin was pleased to have us join them for their celebration and we did have a
good time. In contrast—only those who know the groom, Jesus, will be
attending the Wedding Feast in Heaven one day. Will you be among the bridal
party? I’m counting on being there. What
a blessing it will be to attend a banquet in the Kingdom of God.
Prayer ~ Lord Jesus, I’m looking forward to
putting on a white wedding robe and coming to Your Wedding Feast! The food
won’t be as important as the people who will be there—especially You! May our
Heavenly Father bless You as You prepare a place for us—building the mansions
and getting ready for a great Homecoming!
Daily Bible Reading: Nahum
Friday’s
Feast at the King’s Table
Spiced
Pecans
2
teaspoon kosher or ground Himalayan salt
½
teaspoon ground cumin
¼
teaspoon cayenne pepper
½
teaspoon curry powder
1
teaspoon, heaping, ground cinnamon
Grated
orange rind from one orange
2
pound pecan halves
1
stick unsalted butter (8 tablespoons), cut up into small chunks
½
cup packed brown sugar
1½
tablespoons orange juice (fresh squeezed
from the orange used in the grated rind)
Line
a sheet pan, or a couple of cookie sheets, with parchment paper and set aside.
Mix
the salt, cumin, curry, cayenne, cinnamon and orange peel together in a small
bowl and set aside.
Place
the nuts in a 10-12 inch cast iron skillet and set over medium heat. Cook,
stirring frequently, for 4 to 5 minutes until they just start to brown and
smell toasted. Do NOT let them burn. Add the butter and stir until it melts.
Add the spice mixture and stir to combine. Stir sugar into orange juice. Add to
the nut mixture, stirring until the mixture thickens and coats the nuts,
approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
Transfer
the nuts to the prepared sheet pan and separate them with a fork or spatula.
Allow the nuts to cool completely before transferring to an airtight container
for storage. Can be stored up to 3 weeks--if they aren't eaten first!
©
2017 Text and photos by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.
All
scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted.
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