A young man who had served in the Navy passed along this story. During his training, he was invited to a formal banquet. He and his buddies arrived at the banquet hall, nervous and unsure, they followed others into the line for menu choice and seating assignments. He heard the other sailors order their meals: “Prime Rib”, “Roast Chicken”, and “Possum (?).” He thought about it for a minute-he was in Tennessee, the deep south, and all the sailors in front of him with their heavy southern accents seemed to be ordering the Possum (would the Navy do me wrong?). So when his turn came he boldly stepped up and said, “I’ll have the possum!” You could have heard a pin drop, it seemed to him as if the whole world had heard his order. He quickly looked down at the menu on the table and saw his mistake. It was Pasta, not Possum! To his untrained ear “Pasta” said with a southern drawl, sounded like “Possum”. He entered the banquet hall red faced and embarrassed.

God, our Father, has invited us to a heavenly banquet, but there is a world of difference between earthly banquets such as the one the young sailor attended and God’s. Only select people are invited to earthly banquets but God has invited every human. He desires no one to be excluded. There will be no need to be nervous, unsure or embarrassed at God’s banquet, everything will be perfect. The stain of sin has been washed away in the blood of Jesus Christ. He lived a perfect life and died a painful death, suffering for our sins. It is only through faith in Him that we will realize this wonderful invitation.

Jesus reminds us, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)

Once we have been given our seating assignment through faith in Jesus, we have the wonderful opportunity to help others find their way to Jesus, so they too can sit at the eternal banquet in heaven.