Do you know what the letters RSVP mean? If you have ever received a written or printed invitation, you may have seen these letters at the bottom. The letters mean, “Please Reply.” When you reply that you plan to attend the party or wedding, your name will then be added to the list of those who have accepted the invitation.
When Jesus lived on the earth, He said many important things, and boys and girls and everybody else should pay attention to His words. One time He said to His followers, “Rejoice, because your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:2020Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. (Luke 10:20)). Did you know that God has a book in heaven called the “book of life”? If your name is written down in that book, you will be welcomed into heaven when you die. Here is the loving invitation that Jesus has sent to you: “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden [in your sins], and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:2828Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)). Now it is your responsibility to accept His invitation by replying to Him. Here is a true story that will help you understand how important it is to reply to Jesus’ invitation to COME to Him to have your sins forgiven and have your name written down in the “book of life.”
A lady received a beautiful invitation to an important wedding. Many well-known people would be attending. Because this lady had a beautiful singing voice, the bride asked her to sing at her wedding. The lady told the bride that she would be honored to sing at her wedding, and she began practicing for the special event.
The great day arrived. The wedding and all the plans went smoothly, and everyone enjoyed the lady’s beautiful singing. Then it was time to attend the reception, which is often a very special dinner. The singer and her husband joined the line leading into the dining room. And like everyone else, they stopped at the head of the line where a waiter checked off the names on the list of guests who had accepted the dinner invitation by replying to the RSVP on the invitation. He read down the list of names and then checked it a second time. Looking at them, he said, “Your names are not on the list.”
The lady said to the waiter, “But I was the singer at the wedding today, and the bride personally invited me!”
The waiter said, “I’m sorry, but my instructions are to admit only those people whose names are on this list, and your names are not here.”
So the invited singer and her husband, with great embarrassment and disbelief, were turned away. “What happened?” her husband asked on the way home. Sadly the lady said, “I never sent my answer to the RSVP. I just thought I didn’t need to bother, so I ignored it.” So this special lady and her husband, instead of attending the joyous wedding feast, went home to make their own meal.
Boys and girls, now do you see how important it is to reply to the Saviour’s invitation that says, “Him [or her] that [comes] to Me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:3737All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. (John 6:37))? His invitation is still good, and He’s waiting for a reply from you. The Bible talks sadly of those whose names are not written in the “book of life” when they die: “Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:1515And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:15)).
You can give the Lord Jesus your “yes” by thanking Him in prayer that He invited you, confessing that you are a sinner, and telling Him that you accept His wonderful offer of forgiveness for your sins. When you do this, your name will be written down on the list in the “book of life.” Then you will have no fear of being turned away when He checks that important list of names in heaven. Your name will be there!
Will you make sure your name is added to that special “book of life” today? It’s much too important to forget!
ML-12/28/2014