The Kingdom of God at Your Table

I remember the evening, when our Parish Associate, Pastor Bob Smith had us sing Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God during a Wednesday night Bible Study. We had just finished dinner, and I remember looking around the fellowship hall at those seated around the tables, and I wondered, Is this what the Kingdom of God will be like? I could feel the warmth and love of these people I’d come over many years. And I found myself further wondering: Will I see them again one day in that Kingdom?

Over the past two days, I’ve been reflecting on Jesus’ presence with us around tables. 

I’m reminded of the following scriptures: 

You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies…
– Psalm 23:5

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…
It will be said on that day,
    Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him so that he might save us.
    This is the Lord for whom we have waited;
    let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.
-Isaiah 26:6-9

Then people will come from east and west, from north and south, and will eat in the kingdom of God. – Luke 13:29

Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me. – Revelation 3:20

Again, 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 remember that our meals are a foretaste of a Kingdom that is coming, a Kingdom of blessing and grace… 

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