Who would you invite over for dinner?

After the high school left the Great Pumpkin Chase last night I got to hear an awesome story. Larry and Donna (the family whose house we were at) told me how they became Christians. You see, it wasn't until about 30 years ago or so that they believed in God. In fact, they actually made fun of "the people that went to church". It was just a waste of time to them.

Then Donna got sick. Not flu sick though. We're talking the type of sick that is supposed to kill you. Seriously, she "shouldn't" be alive today. While she was sick was when they cried out to God for the first time. They told me that even though they hadn't ever believed in God before, they knew that someone or something was with them during that crazy time. They knew that someone had saved Donna's life. (We're not talking a doctor though). They knew this wasn't by chance.

Last night, after the chase was over, we had the students find a couple people and share with them their answer to this question: If you could have anyone over to your house for dinner (dead or alive) who would it be and why? We got some pretty good responses. Most of the responses though were dead people.

You see, there is something about seeing someone that we physically cannot see that intrigues us. Maybe it is a loved one that has past away, a former president or someone else famous, a writer whose works you love to read-regardless there is something almost mysterious about thinking about sitting down with them in the flesh. Have you ever felt that way about Jesus, though?

I know I have. I would absolutely love to sit down with Jesus. I have about a million things that I'd love to ask Him, but I'd also like to just listen to His stories in person. As I sit here writing this, I can even imagine Him reading the Bible like it is a story to me and a group of others. On the flip side, there are so many times when I wish He were standing next to me to give me the answers, tell me to not do something, or even push me to make the right decision. Sometimes I feel like life would be so much easier if He were with me in the flesh.

Then I read this. I hope you'll click and read that too. It's a beautiful passage where Jesus is telling the disciples that it is better that He is not here in the flesh. It is better that we only feel His presence through the Holy Spirit rather than having Him next to us, having Him with us in the flesh at dinner.

You see, Larry and Donna felt the presence of God when she was sick. If you were to ask them today, they'd tell you that they didn't deserve for God to save them. They ignored him for so many years, only for Him to come knocking on their door asking to have dinner with them when they cried out to Him. God is good.

Even though Jesus is not with us in the flesh, He is with us. You can have Him over for dinner. You can sit with Him. All you have to do is invite Him. He'll come to you through the Holy Spirit.

Not sold that Jesus and the Holy Spirit are one?
John 14:6-I am the way, and the truth, and the life....
John 16:13-But when He, the spirit of truth comes....

Inviting Jesus over for dinner doesn't just have to be the answer to a stupid mixer game. You really can invite Him over. Will you?

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