My (Ministry) Life VerseSample

Are You Available?

“Respond, if you please.” That’s the direct translation of the initialism RSVP. If you’ve ever been invited to a wedding, banquet, or formal event, then you’ve likely had to reply to an RSVP yourself. When you’re asked to RSVP, you’re essentially being asked, “Are you available?”

There’s a parable Jesus told in the Gospel of Luke about a man who was throwing a banquet. He sent one of his servants as a sort of human telegram to invite people in the area to come. One by one, they all RSVP’d, declining the invitation. They all had different reasons, but they were all unavailable.

That parable gives us a picture of the great banquet of salvation to which God has invited all of us. Everything has already been provided through Christ, and all we have to do is accept the invitation. In a way, the parable also gives us a picture of the invitation to live out God’s purpose for our lives. God provided everything we need for salvation. He has also provided everything we need to carry out the good works that He has called us to do. All we have to do is accept the invitation. We just have to be available.

Often, we miss the opportunity to make a difference simply because we’re too busy. We fill our calendars with appointments, our time with trivial entertainment, and our minds with distractions. All the while, God is inviting us to be a part of His work in the world around us. All we have to do is be available.

One way we can begin to make ourselves more available to God is by creating margin in our day-to-day lives. Instead of filling every moment with work, appointments, or time on our phones, we can leave space throughout the day to respond to God. We can leave space in the mornings for a quiet time with the Lord. We can leave space for conversations with family, friends, or a lonely neighbor. We can even leave space to listen to a sermon podcast that will challenge and encourage our faith. Start with just a little bit of margin, and you’ll be surprised by what God will do with the time you make available to Him.

Thought of the Day: God is inviting me to be a part of the work He’s doing in my world. Today, I’ll make sure that I’m available so I can say yes to whatever He asks me to do.