By Jennifer Thomas
I don’t know about you, but I feasted with my family as we celebrated our Risen Lord and Savior on Resurrection Sunday. The bread, the main course, and the desserts. Yes, I said desserts. I had to sample all of them. You know you probably would too. I left full and satisfied.
Feast is defined as celebrating with food; an elaborate and usually abundant meal; a mark of hospitality. This sounds a lot like what we experience when we feast on God’s Word. It is food for our souls. It is an abundant meal the satisfies completely. It is a gracious offering from the Living God who is hospitable to all its guests.
When was the last time you feasted with the Living God on the Word of God? The feast that He offers is like no other. It is not meant for snacking, but that is often what we tend to do. We choose to grab what we can as we go about our busy lives rather than savor all the flavors offered by this meal. We often choose only the parts we like rather than ingest the full meal.
There are also occasions when we feast together. God made us for community. It is in this space where we come together to feast, to grow, and to learn from each other. Both of these feasts help us to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength and to love our neighbor as ourselves. We need both feasts, one on one and with others, and we need them on a regular basis.
Just like our bodies need to be fed , the same is true of our souls. When we miss our feast on God’s Word, we will know it. If we are feeding on the world more than the Word, our lives will show it through our emotions, actions, and speech. We need to be mindful of what we are feeding our souls.
Scripture tells us this:
Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts. Jeremiah 15:16 (ESV)
Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.
Psalm 34:8 (NIV)
Are you famished or malnourished in your soul?
Have you been trying satisfy this deep hunger with just snacking? Are you being fed by the world or by the Word?
Come and sit at the table.
The feast is waiting for you.
It was prepared long ago.
This meal is just for You.
It will nourish your soul and satisfy your hunger.
It will never you leave empty, unsatisfied, or starving as the world does.
Come and receive the words of life, the words of truth, the words of love. Consume it all, one bite at a time.
It will become your joy and your heart’s delight.
Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good.
Don’t skip a meal, but if you do, your seat at the table is always waiting for you.
Invite your friends to join you often.
Feast together, there is more than enough. All are welcome to come.
He is whispering your name, do you hear Him? Will you take your seat at the table?
Come to the table that has been prepared for you. Come and feast as often as you like.
It is a standing invitation for all who are hungry.
The table is always ready.
The feast never ends and your seat is always available.
