“Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him!” Psalm 34:8 NKJ
“For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.” Colossians 2:9-10 NKJ
“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.” John 15:7-8 NKJ
On almost every corner in the United States you can find fast food restaurants ready to serve you a complete meal in just a matter of minutes. With the demands on families today the idea of grabbing a quick bite to eat is appealing. This convenience saves them time so they can rapidly move to the next event on the schedule. We have become accustomed to getting instant gratification for our hunger, thinking that the fast food meal we just ate somehow nourished us. Unfortunately, fast food really doesn’t nourish the human body. In fact it does more damage than it does good. But we are so bent on getting a quick fix for our hunger that we are willing to sacrifice the health of our bodies to satisfy the craving for convenience!
Many people take this same approach when they feast on the Word of God! Yet our time with the Lord is represented as a banqueting feast experience throughout the Scriptures. When you think of a banqueting feast what is the first image that comes to your mind? For me it is the image of a wedding reception where people are laughing and enjoying themselves because they have just witnessed a beautiful union between a bride and groom. The atmosphere is relaxed, the mood of the crowd is joyful, and everyone is prepared to spend at least a few hours at the celebration table.
They know the meal will be served in courses, starting with the salad and eventually ending at desert. They don’t make demands on the servers to bring the food out quickly and they aren’t there looking at their watches every few minutes to see if the food is being served on time. Everyone at a wedding reception knows that the bride and groom have spent a lot of time selecting the best food to serve to their guests so they are willing to wait. The guest’s mouths water at the thought of eating a choice cut of meat or a specialty desert prepared by the caterers.
In some countries a wedding celebration lasts several days and there are many times set aside to feast together in preparation and celebration of the wedding day. Have you ever noticed that people rarely ever complain about the length of a wedding ceremony or reception either? The reason for this is because they know why they are there and they know the time they spend there isn’t about them; it is about the bride and groom. So they selflessly sacrifice their time in honor of the newlywed couple.
Imagine what it would be like if we all adopted the same mindset when we prepare to spend time feasting at the banqueting table of the Lord each day. Instead of seeing it as a fast food experience where we can get in and out in a matter of minutes, what would happen if we approached it like a guest attending a wedding celebration? The transformation that would take place in the body of Christ if everyone did this would be absolutely amazing! In order for us to adopt this mindset we have to understand that our bridegroom, Jesus Christ, has spent a lot of time preparing the most nourishing food (Word) for us to feast on. He desires to fill us with His goodness and love so that we are strengthened and prepared for every trial we face in life.
He says to us today, “Come to Me, abide with Me, sit with Me, spend time with Me! I have prepared a banqueting table for you and Me where you will be served the best food and drink you could ever imagine! Don’t be in a hurry, looking at your watch to see if the meal is being served fast enough. It is in waiting for the next course where we get to fellowship with one another. This time with you is so precious to Me and I could spend hours sitting with you; telling you how much I love you! And you need to know that there is no other place that I want to be and I have cleared my schedule today just for you. I delight in the time we get to spend together and I look forward to it each and every day.”
Prayer: Oh Lord help me to take the time sit with you at your banqueting table each day. Please renew my mind from the old mentality of a fast food experience with You and let me view it as a wedding feast celebration each day. I praise You for preparing the choicest menu of Your Word for me to feast on. I believe by faith that it is truly what will nourish my soul and prepare me for any challenge I may face in life. Cleanse me from the toxicity of the fast food experience that is harming my soul, and let me fully embrace what it means to be the temple of Your Spirit so I take the time to nourish it properly. I praise You for calling me to eat at the banqueting table each day and I gladly accept Your invitation to dine with You. Amen
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