Matthew 22:10
We just finished cleaning out my grandmother’s house. Granny is 82 years old and has moved to my aunt’s house, ten hours away, because she can’t live by herself anymore. Going through my grandparents’ belongings has been a strange experience. We’ve seen things that haven’t left their spots in fifty years and encountered items that I have never seen before. We’ve decided who gets what, what gets sold, and what goes into a donation bin.
The house that my grandparents bought in 1963 will no longer be her home. Someone else will learn to live with the creak in that particular part of the floor. A new owner will inherit the scent of the linen closet and the click of the hall light switch. Another family will serve their Easter ham in the dining room and enjoy the shade of the magnolia trees in the backyard.
When change comes, how do we respond to it?
In Jesus’ parable of the wedding banquet, the king prepares an exquisite celebration, but everyone on his first guest list declines the invitation. Suddenly servants find themselves in the streets, rounding up a new set of invitees. The king instructs them not to discriminate but to invite every person they see. The pictures from the king’s banquet are going to surprise everyone who sees them, but the party is going on with a full house.
When our plans change and life surprises us, God will guide us along the way. My grandmother has embraced the changes in her life with grace and dignity. Loads of grandchildren and great-grandchildren now surround her; they eat dinner together and take her to the store. God’s grace is always finding new ways to make itself known.
Consider
When has God’s grace led you through an uncertain situation?
Pray
Merciful God, open our hearts and minds to your guidance when we face difficult times. Amen.
This post originally appeared in Volume 28.2 of Reflections.
