One night my family and I decided to visit a local restaurant. When we arrived, the atmosphere was friendly and looked exciting. We had heard about the menu, and we were looking forward to eating there. As we entered, the hostess approached us and smiling pleasantly, she said, "good night, do you have a reservation?"
The four of us looked at each other, and the same thought crossed our minds. "we did not have a reservation!" It also crossed my mind that we should have made a reservation, especially on a Friday night, but we were hoping that it would not have been necessary.
You see, my friends, as you know, a reservation would have ensured that a table was reserved for us; our names would have been written in their reservation book; a table would have been prepared for us. Having our names written in their reservation book meant that we would have been entitled to a table prepared for us in advance of our arrival. Not having our names recorded in their reservation book meant we could not part take of what the restaurant had to offer; we could not even enter.
As you reflect on the above scenario, let me draw your attention to the most critical "reservation" we are all encouraged to make. The reservations to enter the New Jerusalem; Revelations 21:27 tells us, "But nothing unclean will ever enter it [the New Jerusalem on the New Earth], nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life."
The Lamb's book of life lists all who are saved. To have one's name written in the book of life, my friends imply the privilege of participation in the blessings of the kingdom of God, while to be erased or blotted out of this book means exclusion from those blessings and eternal life. Jesus said that we should not rejoice that the demons are subject to us but that our names are written in Heaven. This is the most valuable reservation anyone can make.
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