Sunday lunches were a big deal growing up in the South. There were two particular meals that
were my favorite and to this day, I cannot eat a meal that compares with
them. One was succulent roast with
brown gravy, mashed potatoes, and some kind of green vegetable. The other was almost the same but a
change in meat: fried chicken! I
have not had fried chicken that good since!! I absolutely cherish the memory of sitting down at the table
with my parents and sister on Sundays after church.
What if
that were the only meal a person had all week? Think about coming to the table starving. You would not think about taste or the
enjoyment of the meal and fellowship, but you would be ravaged by hunger. There would not be the wonderful
distinguishing factor of aroma and flavors, but only the need to fill a void
crying out for health and relief from the distress of starvation.
I was thinking recently about the wonder and life-giving
process afforded me by daily Bible study.
God blessed me, a non-reader, with a hunger for His word when He saved
me. And I continue to enjoy this
jewel of truth even after forty years of being a believer. I cannot imagine being a healthy or
happy Christian without it. And I
also thought how like a banquet is the message God gives our pastor on Sunday
mornings. The Sunday message is a
coming together of believers and seekers to a feast prepared by God. How famished I would be had I not been
daily nourished. And what
wonderful unity I find through God’s message when I’ve been in His word all
week. I can distinguish the aroma
and flavor because He has been filling my void all week long with the
nourishment of His word.
Be nourished daily and come together weekly to feast at the
banquet prepared by God. And I
look forward to the banquet Jesus has prepared for us in heaven. That will be one rich and luxurious
meal that will exceed my memory of juicy roast and crisp fried chicken.
