Responding to the Call: Embracing Gods Invitation With Obedience and FaithSample

There's something about sitting across from a friend having vulnerable and authentic conversation that often brings clarity and perspective that we didn't realize we needed. Recently, a friend and I met for lunch, waiting for our server to take our orders. As we waited I began sharing about my journey into ministry—starting a YouTube channel, and embracing my role as a Bible teacher—I kept repeating the same phrase: "I was running from it, but now I'm doing it."

My friend listened attentively as she tilted her head, with a gentle smile beaming across her face. She paused, and then said, "Wow Rachel, you've sure done a lot of running."

Those unexpected words stopped me in my tracks.

She was right!

After our lunch, those words kept ringing in my ears. How many times had I sensed God's gentle nudge, only to lace up my spiritual running shoes and head in the opposite direction? Perhaps you know this feeling too—that mix of knowing God is calling you toward something while your feet seem determined to carry you away.

In Matthew 22:1-14, Jesus tells a striking parable about a king who prepared a grand wedding feast for his son. The king sent servants to call the guests, but their responses were telling: "But they all refused to come!" (Matthew 22:3). Some ignored the invitation, choosing instead to tend their farms or businesses. Others went so far as to mistreat and kill the messengers.

It's easy to judge these guests, isn't it? Yet how often do we do the same thing, perhaps in more subtle ways? We might not outright refuse God's call, but we find sophisticated ways to avoid it:

"I'm not qualified enough yet."

"Someone else would do it better."

"The timing isn't right."

"I'm too busy right now."

Sound familiar?

The parable teaches us that responding to God's call isn't just about saying yes or no—it's about recognizing the weight of the invitation. The king had prepared everything: "The feast has been prepared. The bulls and fattened cattle have been killed, and everything is ready" (Matthew 22:4).

Similarly, God has prepared everything we need to fulfill His calling on our lives.

He's not asking us to create a feast from scratch. He's inviting us to participate in what He's already prepared. Just as in the parable of Matthew 22:1-14, the table is set and the food is ready—He's simply waiting for us to accept the invitation.

As you continue in prayer today, pause and ponder: What areas of your life might God be calling you to step into that you've been running from?