Will you show up to the party?

God of the Underdogs. When I heard that this was the title of our new series I was so stoked. I love underdogs. I will always root for the underdog, except against the Cowboys (but that is not the point). Underdogs are awesome because we relate to them. Each of us has had a moment or will have a moment, when the odds have been greatly stacked against and we thought we would not overcome the obstacle we faced.

I know what it means to be an underdog. I did sports in high school and of all things to choose, I chose track and field and swimming. I was not a natural at either. I’m not tall or long limbed which is beneficial for both sports. Nor have I ever looked super athletic either. Yet in both events I poured myself into them with everything I had. After many hours of practice, competition, time and devotion I found myself in my senior year being recruited for both sports for college, having placed in state for swimming and being the top girl in the nation in the hammer throw. What an incredible feeling it was to have overcome hurdles that seemed too high and beating the odds to come out on top.

This Sunday Pastor Ben preached on the parable Jesus taught regarding the great banquet, in Luke 14:12-24. In the story the host invites all these guests to a grand party to which they all RSVP. On the day of the banquet the host sends out his servant to go get all of his guests to signal that it is ready, but when he meets the guests they all have an excuse as to why they cannot make it to this special party the host has prepared. The host is angered because all he wanted was to celebrate with these chosen guests and share a meal in joy and love. Instead of letting it go to waste he sends his servant to go collect the poor, the crippled, the blind, the lame and any one else he can find along the way. It is an incredible story of the love God has for those that do not seem qualified or fit the mold of what successful looks like.

As I drove home thinking about the message and how I can relate to having been the poor, the crippled, the blind or the lame underdog, God gently chided me and reminded me of something. He showed me that the original guests were not worthy of the invite either. In the kingdom of God, non of us are worthy. The only thing that has qualified us to receive an invite, is Jesus’ love for us that was poured out on the cross. The original guests were faced with a choice, join the party in the presence of the host and celebrate with him or decline the invite. Luke 14:17-18 says, “And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to hose who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ But they all alike began to make excuses…” They originally wanted to come, but somewhere in the process they let other things get in the way of attending the party. Excuses separated them from the presence of their host and they disqualified themselves. The poor, the crippled, the lame and the blind did not let anything get in the way of the opportunity they had been given, even though they may have felt uncomfortable or unworthy of being at such a great banquet.

Which underdog are you? Are you the one that knows he is unworthy, but does not let any opportunity to be in the presence of God? Or are you the one who has accepted the invitation but are disqualifying yourself even though God has already qualified you? This week do not let excuses get in the way of the presence and purposes of God in your life. Show up. God has qualified you regardless of where you find yourself today, show up and see how He makes you more than victorious through His workings in your life.

Alayna Mills