The chosen call
For many are called, but few are chosen. Matthew 22:14
Matthew 22 begins with a parable about a wedding feast. It tells the story of a king who gave a wedding feast to his son. However, the invited guests did not want to attend because of their business, and some even treated the messengers spitefully and killed them. The king prepared the feast so he invited other guests regardless of good or bad, and the wedding hall was filled with guests, but the king caught a man without the wedding garment. The parable ends with Jesus summarizing, "For many are called, but few are chosen."
In order to be chosen, one must respond to the call, but first accept the invitation. There are two types of callings, one is an external calling, such as hearing the gospel and accepting it, like accepting the invitation to the feast. Despite receiving saving grace at first, without true repentance by the Holy Spirit into salvation (Romans 1:16), being saved is like attending a wedding without a wedding garment. It is important to respond both to external and internal callings.
Is there a way to respond to the internal call that gives us the wedding garment? The internal call is to follow God wholeheartedly, not being double minded like the man without the wedding garment, we need to give up our old self and the world's path. It is essential to let go of our egotism, our plans, and feelings that are burdened by this world if we are to follow God fully. Repentance and sincere faith are essential to responding to an internal call, "I will follow you" by recommitting ourselves to God.
What are the rewards of following the Lord and being the "chosen?" Isaiah 61:10 has the answer: “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. " We can not only put on the garment of salvation for the wedding feast, but we can also greatly rejoice in the Lord! The call to follow God is worth it!
Despite being invited to the wedding feast, let us not attend with our terms, like the man without a wedding garment, which represents double mindedness. Let us be pure like the bride, with a single-mindedness of the Lord, so He puts on the garment of salvation and we can enjoy the feast and His eternal presence forever.
Blessing prayer: Give us a willing heart to respond to your call and help us be your true disciples, always rejoicing in the Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen
