Sharing a meal...

Good morning all-

Last night my family went to dinner with our soon to be daughter-in-law.  It was a lot of fun.  We picked the meal for the rehearsal dinner, Austin and Saras cuddled and Hunter talked about fishing in Alaska.  It was a great night.  As Mark and I toasted us being together, I realized this is one of few moments to come.  So I stored it in my heart and thanked God for every second and for every meal.  Mealtime has always been special but lately, everyone is running to different things and when I'm home, I'm trying to get dinner done quickly so they can go do those things.  I see why God put such ceremony into the sacrifices as well as the last supper.  Eating together is more important then we know.  It's a time of fellowship and every meal may mean the last.  Jesus used the last supper as the last time to impart the important things to His disciples.  We can all learn a lesson from that.

Last night, I felt the storm of change.  It's time and I know it but it doesn't make it easier.  I wonder if that's how Jesus felt at the last supper.  Was He scared?  I'm sure He was but once again it wasn't about Him, it was about His people.  It would be the moment that He would proclaim the prophesy of old and He chose to do it breaking bread with His disciples.

I wonder, have we lost that tradition? You know what I'm talking about, with all the kids sports, busy work schedules and fast food.  Have we forgotten the importance of the meal?  Some days I do because I'm rushing from work to home to gather ingredients so that everyone can eat by 7 PM.  It's important to them to eat and it's important to me to get the food on the table.  That's why yesterday was so special.  It was the five of us sitting, relaxing, laughing, and sharing and in my heart I smiled.

The Lord has given me much but I think I'm most grateful for the word pictures He puts in my mind.  They carry me through my darkest hours and guide me right toward the cross.  I see Him in a meal out with my family, in my car driving by a homeless person and every time the sun sets and rises.  He is with me.  The images of Him are in my mind because of the word pictures all over the Bible.  Even the breaking of bread.  Every time I'm slicing open Italian bread; I think of Him.  Every time I eat a cracker, I think of Him and wonder, what must it have been like for them?  Why?  Because food was not plentiful in Jesus' time but you never read that they were without.  He provided.

I've stored many memories throughout the years.  I remember how my mom would make me eat all my peas as I stuffed them in my napkin and prayed I wouldn't get caught.  I remember having to eat grits in the South because my mom didn't care if we didn't like them.  I remember feeding my babies and watching them gorge themselves with milk and I will forever remember yesterday evening.  So as we prepare for Easter, we must remember the words of our Father.  They came true, didn't they?  He did die for us and He chose His last supper to depart the picture of the coming days.  A common meal has become the most painted and talked about supper event for centuries.  As we approach the day of His death and resurrection, let's remember the memories and the words He imparted to His people.  It wasn't just a meal, it was the fulfilling of a covenant!

On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?” He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.’ ” So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover. When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. And while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.” They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely you don’t mean me, Lord?” Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.” Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?” Jesus answered, “You have said so.” While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. (‭Matthew‬ ‭26‬:‭17-30‬ NIV)

My prayer today:

O, Lord my God, bring forth Your provision as we read the words you left behind.  Your prediction of your death was proclaimed during a meal and we are grateful for the word picture.  Help us to remember that every meal is unto You.  You are the provider of our needs and our soul.  Help us remember that daily and may we glorify You as we tell the story of Your sacrifice.  May the Lord of generations spread His word to the far corners of this land and throughout the world.  We proclaim Jesus!