Fashioned for a Feast

When invited to dinner at someone’s home, there is often an understated protocol of knowing what to wear or what to bring. Will it be a simple barbeque or a formal dinner party?  Should I bring the hostess a gift or bring along a dish to complement the spread? My husband often asks me who came up these rules?! But as women, we know that there is ample thought and planning to hosting a gathering in your home and hosting it well. 

Compare and contrast this idea of hosting when Jesus invites you to come and sit with Him. 

He has sent you an invitation to come into His presence and join Him for an evening of food and fellowship.  Often, we approach His table much like we do our fellow sister in Christ, but it is far different from what He ever required.  He doesn’t play by the same unwritten rules that society formatted for us.  Sitting with Jesus is far different than meting up with your sister for coffee. 

When considering His invitation to come and sit at His table, do you find yourself in any of the following personalities?

The Over-Achiever

You are one who can’t go to another’s table without bringing something. It’s beyond your thought process or upbringing to go empty-handed! For you to be invited to dinner, requires a Pyrex of hot homemade goodness in hand as you approach the host’s door. But He says that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, He will fill you. (Matt 5:6). So just sit down, empty-handed, and open-hearted, and come and eat and delight your soul in fatness. (Is 55:1-2). 

Underdressed
Maybe you feel like you don’t have the right clothes to wear to be able to come and sit at His table. Remember He will exchange your filthy rags for a robe of righteousness (Is 61:10). His cloak of salvation is always the right and best things to wear.  And His Fruit of the Spirit are perfect accessories (Gal 5:22-23).

Inadequate
Maybe you are one who would be embarrassed to come into His presence, to take off your shoes because you know that your feet carry the stench of the world. But though He is the Creator, Savior, and Lord, He is the greatest servant. He will remove your socks and wash your feet with the water of His presence removing the vileness of what has stuck to you due to where you’ve walked and what choices you’ve made.  He will cleanse, purify, and restore you (Ps 51:1-2, I John 1:9, 1 Peter 3:21, John 13:1-17).

Disengaged
Perhaps you are one who used to sit with Him but recently you have pushed away from the King’s table. You’ve stood up and found other tables to sit at. But what you’ve found is the conversation, the food, and the atmosphere of other places, is not near as good as what you had at His table. You may even look from afar as others sit with the Lord enjoying His company, and you long for a way to get back to the seat at His table you once graced.  Stand up, oh daughter, and walk right back into His presence. He has been waiting for you. He won’t let anything separate the two of you, why should you? (Ps 145:8-10, Romans 8:38-39.)

You’ve come to the threshold of the Lord’s invitation today not knowing if you should be in this place. But know this, there’s always a seat for you at the table of the Lord. Sitting at His table levels us all in the Lord. Our height discrepancies are set aside, disabilities are tabled. Food unites. It’s essential. Come sit with the Bread of Life. When you sit with the King, the love He has for you will overshadow any hesitancy and overwhelm your heart while moving you closer to Him. Sweet fellowship and tender friendship. He will remind you that he wasn’t worried about what you brought with you, what you wore, or the lag of time between your visits. He was just thrilled you came.  From the moment you stepped through the threshold, you were fashioned for a feast with the King. 

So, linger at the table of the Lord.