One of my greatest joys in life has become two events each year, our spring Friends & Family Tea, and fall Buddy Bag Partner Celebration. I really enjoy gathering people of all sorts together for fellowship. And I love listening to stories being shared!

Until we began having tea parties, I didn’t consider myself gifted in hospitality. I am so thankful God chose to use my weakness to do His work. What started out as a small family and friend group of ten, has morphed into something much bigger.

From the wedding in Cana at the beginning of Jesus’s ministry, to His Last Supper, Scripture is filled with Jesus and his disciples breaking bread and sharing fellowship. Truthfully, Dear Reader, sometimes I forget that Jesus wants to be invited to our table.

While gathering guests is a great joy to me, most years it has also been stressful. Do I have time, enough space, enough bucks in the bank to host an event?

(Now may be a good time to tell you Mama’s name was Martha, and she was very aptly named. Unfortunately, whether by nature or nurture, I grew up to be as much of a worry wort as she was.)

But God . . . It never ceases to amaze me how He will wait until we are ready to accept His Word, then bursts into it, piercing us to our very spirits.

 After this Jesus went out and saw a tax collector sitting at his place for collecting taxes. His name was Levi. Jesus said to him, “Follow me!” Levi got up, left everything, and followed Jesus.

Then Levi gave a big dinner at his house for Jesus. At the table there were many tax collectors and some other people too.

Luke 5:27-29 ERV

Did you catch that, Dear Reader? Levi left everything, followed Jesus, then gave a party for Him. What!

Pretty sure, on the way home, Levi didn’t phone Grandma’s Catering for a hot meal in a hot minute. Probably didn’t call Aaron’s Furniture Rental to see how many couches he could get delivered. And probably didn’t text the wife to tell her to get the kids spic and span for a special guest.

No, no, and no! Levi (Matthew) answered the call of Jesus on his life, and knew it was time to celebrate. One online resource says Levi was of “moderate wealth.” Nevertheless, Levi walked away from his source of income, and put his brain in party gear.

Dear Reader, I am so excited about the Partner Celebration this year! I think it’s going to be the biggest and best celebration so far.

But, as time is drawing closer, many of those old worries started creeping into my brain.

Praise God for aligning His Word to my needs! Praise Him for His Word, and for godly, Biblical scholars, like Matthew Henry, who help me more fully understand it.

When I read this passage in Luke’s Gospel, I was focused on the absurdity of Levi having a lavish banquet immediately after leaving everything. Henry’s Commentary helped me refocus from Levi’s (our) party onto the grace of Jesus in calling someone who wasn’t exactly popular with God’s children. Wham! God flipped the switch and changed my whole point of view.

Maybe for this gal, leaving EVERYTHING has to begin with leaving doubt and worry, especially when I am walking out what I absolutely believe is God’s will in my life. I must shift my focus from all about me to all about Him.

Sometimes leaving everything means whatever is comfortable in our lives. Maybe it’s a luxury or indulgence. Perhaps it’s leaving old habits behind. Whatever it is, I’m learning that God’s call is to leave our baggage, and simply follow Him.

Has God called you to leave everything recently, Dear Reader? I’d love to hear about it. Sometimes we all need a little refocusing. Here’s the song God’s put into my heart and head, as He asks me to leave everything so that He can “Steal My Show.”