Over the past couple of days, we’ve reflected on a passage from the prophet Isaiah (25:1-9): On this mountain, the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wines, of rich food filled with marrow, of well-aged wines strained clear. And he will destroy on this mountain the shroud that is cast over all peoples…

A shared meal is more than just about food, isn’t it? On some occasions, it can set the context for the unfolding of life’s larger story – even marking moments of change and meaning. Think about a wedding banquet, funeral wake, or birthday celebration, or Christmas and Easter dinners over the years.

Throughout the scriptures, the table often serves as a metaphor for God’s activity. The exodus from slavery is initiated by roasted lamb with the Passover feast. Jesus said, “People will come from east and west. They will come from north and south to eat at table in the Kingdom of God.” Psalm 23 claims: “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.” Luke tells that it was at the table that the disciple’s eyes were opened and they recognized the risen Christ. The Gospels picture Jesus eating with tax collectors and sinners. And, on the night he was betrayed, Jesus was at the dinner table with his disciples when he took the bread and blessed it.

Isaiah’s image is at the heart of this. This language is poetry. On this mountain, the Lord of host will make for all peoples a feast…

Some scholars claim that this vision is apocalyptic – that is in the sense of revealing the coming of God’s reign at the end of time. Others claim perhaps it is more describing God’s intention for humanity here and now.

Perhaps it is both.

If the table is a place where God is at work, then let us ever approach the tables we gather around with a sense of expectation.

As I prayed yesterday: May you come to see the table as a kind of altar. And may you remember that time spent around it alone, or with family and friends, is time spent in the presence of Christ. May you offer him, all that happens around these tables…. Trusting that in that offering, there is blessing and grace…

Let us pray: Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest, in our homes and churches and around our tables. And open our eyes to your presence, even here, even now. Amen.

Today’s message was written by Rev. Dr. Roger Kunkel, founder of Dial Hope.

A small dog had been struck by a car and was lying wounded by the side of the road. A doctor driving by noticed that the dog was still alive, stopped his car, picked up the dog, and took him home. There he discovered that the dog had been stunned, and had suffered minor cuts and abrasions, but was otherwise alright. He revived the dog, cleaned up the wounds, and was carrying the animal from the house to the garage when it suddenly jumped from his arms and scampered off. “What an ungrateful little dog,” the doctor thought to himself. He thought no more about the incident until the next evening when he heard a scratching at his door. When he opened it, there was the little dog he treated, with another hurt dog.

That is the story of the “ripple effect.” Throw a stone into a lake and the water ripples out, and the circle widens. One of the great characteristics of the first Christians was their ripple effect. Something had happened to them that filled them with so much joy they just could not contain it. It was contagious. It spread out among the people in a ripple effect. And the circle of love grew wider and wider.

Let us pray: Lord, help us to spread your love by being the gospel, the good news to others. Give healing to those who are ill or anxious today and remind us of the power of your spirit to transform every earthly situation. Give strength to the weak and hope to the depressed. Keep in safety all who travel. Watch over the poor and the homeless. Now let the ripple effect of your love and joy help us to make this day a masterpiece. Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

The Ancient Greeks told the story of Pandora as a way of explaining evil in the world. In the myth, Pandora was gifted with every charm…the gift of all the gods. She was sent to Earth with a little jar or box that she had been forbidden to open, but curiosity finally got the better of her. When she removed the lid, all kinds of evil escaped into the world. Pandora tried quickly to close the box, but it was too late. However, in the end, there was one thing left at the bottom, and that was …HOPE.

While the myth attempts to explain why there is evil in the world, it also was the ancients’ way of saying how important hope is. Even when all else is lost, there is still hope.

In your own life, whatever situation you may be facing, whatever burdens you may be carrying, I pray that you would never lose hope.

In the book of Jeremiah, God says, “For surely I know the plans I have for you… plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.”

Let us pray: Loving God, From generation to generation, you are faithful. Today, I pray for those who feel as though they are in the midst of a dark night. I ask you to meet them where they are. Help each of us to see beyond the moment, beyond the day, beyond the illness, beyond the brokenness. Help us to trust that your hand is at work, even now, to heal, to redeem, to make whole again. May your Spirit blow through our lives again – bringing with it new life, new hope, and a new way forward. We ask in Jesus’ name.

Dr. Keith Wagner once wrote about the devastation caused by the eruption of Mount Saint Helen in 1980. The forests were destroyed by fire, and the rivers were choked with debris. Fish and other wildlife died. Toxic fumes filled the air, and the future for the area seemed bleak.

However, less than a year after the eruption, scientists discovered that despite the fact the rivers were clogged with hot mud, volcanic ash, and floating debris, some of the salmon and steelhead had managed to survive. By using alternate streams and waterways, some less than six inches deep, the fish returned home to spawn. Within a few short years, the fields, lakes, and rivers surrounding Mount Saint Helen once again teemed with life. Even the mountain itself began to show signs of new vegetation.

Dr. Wagner’s point was that sometimes in life what appears to be a hopeless situation, really is not. Pain and suffering ultimately do not get to have the last word. Devastation and heartache do not get to have the last word. God does. And, out of the ashes, out of the suffering, there comes a new strength, a new depth, and a new beginning.

Let us pray: God of all new life, help us to trust that you are at work even now in the broken places in our lives and in this world. Give us glimpses of redemption, healing, restoration, and renewal, so that we would have courage and hope; for we pray in the name of Jesus who said, “Behold, I make all things new.” Amen.

One of the podcasts I listen to regularly is called Farnam Street. It is hosted by a man named Shane Parish who had previously worked for the Canadian equivalent of the CIA. He interviews people from all walks of life who are top in the field: Four four-star generals, Fortune 500 CEOs, Hedge Fund Managers, the elite of the medical and engineering fields, top psychologists, and on and on.

For several years, he ended every interview with the same question: How do you define success?

These are people who have achieved the very top of their fields. And it is interesting. I’ve listened to all of them and I have never heard anyone mention status, or job title, or money, or things for that matter. The answers vary. But they almost all revolve around the themes of giving, loving, and serving others, and making an impact on the world for the better – even in small ways. One CEO, in particular, said that he defined his entire life, family life, work life, and community life, all through the lens of service. His entire goal is to make life a little better for others.

Today, I invite you to reflect for a moment on how it is that you would define success. What are the things that matter most in life for you?

Let us pray: You have created us, O God, in your own image. You are a loving, giving, relational God… Empower us to align our hearts and our lives with yours. In Jesus’ name. Amen.