The Lord’s Table
As a Pastor and Bible Study teacher, it’s wonderful to get into the word of God with young Christians. They often have very unique perspectives….and even funnier mistakes. Take this study session we had a while back. We were studying for a Confirmation test on the Ten Commandments. After fielding a question on the fourth commandment (Honor your mother and father), I was asked by a young man if there was a commandment about brothers and sisters. Without missing a beat, a young lady in the back sang out, “yeah, the fifth commandment (thou shall not kill…).
We laugh, but we are rapidly heading into a strange time of year. We are told to count our blessings, to say thank you, and to look at the many gifts we have been given. This is also the time of year where family comes over, schedules get crazy, houses need to be cleaned, gifts need to be wrapped, meals need to be cooked, stress gets high and tempers fly like reindeer. When all of this stress happens; how quickly do we Grinch out on those around us? We forget that our first gift we are ever given by God is being placed in a family. Not just once, but twice!
Look at these verses:
And you shall rejoice in all the good that the Lord your God has given to you and to your house
– Deuteronomy 26:11
He doesn’t mean house, as in a building, but your house; your family, your possessions, your reputation, your identity! All of this is given to you by God.
Father of the fatherless and protector of widows
is God in his holy habitation.
God settles the solitary in a home;
he leads out the prisoners to prosperity
-Psalms 68:5-6
Even when we feel alone or solitary, it’s important to remember that God has placed us, adopted us, into His own family. We are brothers and sisters in and with Jesus Christ! So when you get to be a prisoner of your schedule, and held hostage by the holidays, remember your greatest physical gift.
It’s not what is on the Thanksgiving table, but the people who are around the table.
And if you think your table here is awesome, remember every week you are invited to the table of the Lord!
See you this weekend,
Pastor Dan