#Ruth Anna Metzge

[thedalatribune]

© Paolo Dala

The Uninvited Singer

Several years ago, Ruth Anna Metzger was asked to sing at a wedding in Seattle. [That's where she lives. It was a very upscale wedding.] One of the wealthiest families in the city had a daughter who was getting married and Ruth Anna considered it a great honor to be chosen to be the soloist. She was particularly excited because the wedding reception was to be held on the top of two floors of the Columbia Center, which is the tallest building in the Northwest. The whole event was very exclusive and Ruth Anna couldn't help thinking about how much fun it would be to go there with Roy, her husband.

After the wedding, Ruth Anna and Roy drove to the beautiful facility and approached the reception desk, they watched, as the Maître d', who was decked out in the blended tuxedo admitted and introduced the guests and ushered them toward the luscious hors d'oeuvres and exotic beverages.

About that time, the bride and groom approached a beautiful glass staircase leading to the top floor, and someone ceremoniously cut a satin ribbon draped across the bottom of the stairs and announced that the wedding feast was about to begin.

As Roy and Ruth Anna approached the top of the stairs, the Maître d' asked him, "May I have your name, please?"

And she said, "l am Ruth Anna Metzger, and this is my husband Roy."

And then Maître d' searched through the listings in the book, and he looked again, he asked Ruth Anna to spell her name, and he searched again.

Finally, he looked and said, "I'm sorry, but your name isn't here."

"Oh, there's got to be a mistake." Ruth Anna said, "I'm the singer. I sang for the wedding.

And the man said "It doesn't matter who you are or what you did, without your name in the book, you can't come to the banquet..."

And he motioned to a waiter and said, show these people to the service elevator.

The Metzgers were unceremoniously ushered past all of the beautiful tables laden with shrimp and smoked salmon and carved ice. They passed the orchestra, and the musicians were always splendid in white tuxedos... past all the guests and the opulence of the moment, and the waiter took them to the service elevator, ushered them in, and pushed "G" for "Parking Garage".

The Metzgers were stunned to find themselves out or the street, driving home in silence, somewhere along the way...

Roy looked over and asked, "Sweetheart, what happened?"

She said, "Well Roy, when the invitation arrived, I was very busy. I never bothered to return without returning the RSVP."

Then as Ruth Anna later recalled, she started to cry. Not only because she had missed the most lavish banquet which she'd ever been invited to, but because she suddenly had a small taste of what it would be like someday, for people as they stand before Christ and find their names missing from the 'Lamb's Book of Life'.

And you see, for you to get your name in the 'Lamb's Book of Life', you have to make the reservation. You have to respond to the invitation. You have to RSVP. To God, you have to accept Jesus Christ as your Savior... If you don't do that, just like here, it won't make any difference.

You know, in the Bible, there's a picture of this where they come before the Lord and say: "Lord, haven't we done wonderful works in your name? Haven't we done all of these wonderful things?"

And Jesus will say to them: "Depart from me because I never knew you."

Have you made your reservation? Are you ready to go to heaven? Here's what you must do: You must confess your sin You must tell the Lord that you know you have failed him and you're a sinner.

You say, well, "I'm not gonna do that. I'm not gonna be humble."

If you won't do that, you can't be safe...

But you don't have to stay that way because if you will say: "Lord Jesus, I know. I'm a sinner. I know I need to be saved. Please come and forgive me of my sin."

He will come and take up his residence within you, and you will be in heaven.

David Jeremiah A Great Day