"When one of those at the table with him heard of this, he said to Jesus, " Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God." Jesus replied: "A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who who had been invited, "Come, for everything is ready." But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, "I have just bought a field, and I must go see it. Please excuse me." Another said, "I have just bought five oxen, and I'm on my way to try them out. Please excuse me." Still another said, "I just got married, so I can't come." The servant came back to report this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, "Go out into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame." "Sir," the servant said, "What you ordered has been done, but there is still room." Then the master told his servant, "Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full. I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet." (Luke 14:15-23)
In the parable about the great feast, we see a table that was created for the broken and the hurting to come into the presence of the master. These people were the lame, the blind, the crippled, and the poor. These were just a few of the kinds of people that were invited to sit at the table. Afterwards the servant told the master that there was still room at the table for more people to join them. So the master told the servant to go out and invite anyone that he met on the road who wanted to come to the table so that it would be full.
I have many wonderful memories of my family surrounded around our dining room table. This was the place where my family laughed together, cried together, made jokes, told stories, and played games together, but most importantly this was the place where my parents taught me about Jesus. This was the place where my mom and Dad taught me to read the Bible and where I learned how to pray. The dining room table was also the place where I learned the true path to healing. In this series, I will be talking about some of the many memories that I have from growing up around my dining room table and the great lessons that I learned there about faith and hope as a Christian.
The table I grew up around was always full of life. Sometimes we would be blessed to have it doubly full of life when we had other friends and family come by to our house to sit with us for awhile. Something that I have come to discover is that relationship and sitting at the table together are crucial to the healing process. Notice that when the master in the story called the people to the table that he wasn't calling the ones who thought they were whole and already healed. Instead he called the ones that needed healing the most to the table. He welcomed the broken and the hurting.
The master in the story represents Jesus. Jesus calls us to the table. He wants to have a relationship with us. He wants to sit with us together as a family around his dining room table. Jesus wants to do life with you there. He wants to encourage you and uplift you with joy and hope at the table. He wants to take your broken heart and heal it at the table. All are welcome there. Today Jesus invites you to have a relationship with him and to sit with him at the table.
Won't you accept his invitation?
Dear Lord, I thank you for inviting me to your table. Please teach me to come sit with you and form a deep and close relationship with you. Thank you for giving me a place where I can find my healing and hope. In Jesus name, Amen.
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