Father, Son, and Spirit, I press into You at the start of my day so when the day presses into me I can stand firm in You.
“For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night in which he was betrayed took bread, and after he had given thanks he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, he also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, every time you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For every time you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lordʼs death until he comes.,” (1Corinthians 11:23-26)
My devotion for this morning was given to me by a child at the Waffle House. I received by praying as I always do before I went in the restaurant to let me see those I encounter inside through God’s eyes.
One morning I was at the Waffle House and I noticed in the booth to my right a small boy, maybe 5 years old, who was seated across the booth from his father. The food was brought to the table and his dad had ordered him a waffle. The boys eyes got big and a large smile came across his face as he stared at the waffle. He looked at his dad with a big grin, his way of saying thanks, then started smearing butter and syrup on his waffle, and ate it in complete joy!
I was reminded of Bonhoeffer’s words: “The fellowship of the table has a festive quality… God cannot endure that unfestive, mirthless attitude of ours in which we eat bread in sorrow, with pretentious, busy haste, or even with shame. Through our daily meals He is calling us to rejoice, to keep holiday in the midst of our working day…” (Bonhoeffer, Life Together).
And I was reminded of Jesus’s words: “13 “And they were bringing children to Him so that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked them. 14 But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and said to them, "Permit the children to come to Me; do not hinder them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 "Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all."(Mar 10:13-15)
That young child reminded me what a gift a meal is, something that I take for granted in this land of plenty where my fridge and pantry is full and there are restaurants on almost every corner.. Unlike most people in the world, the question I struggle with daily is not “if I am going to eat today:, but “what or whereas I going to eat today.” However, The gift of physical life a meal provides for me is a gift from our Father in heaven, who is ever present in my “booth” while I am eating it. And no matter how rough or hard of a day I may be having (at least in my mind), or what situations I find myself in, I have no right to eat a meal that day, or any day, as Bonhoeffer tells me in sorrow or shame. I always need to rejoice while I am eating, and look up to my Father with a big grin of thanks.
It also reminded me of when I share a special meal together with my family, The Lord’s Supper. It is also a gift from the Father that provides a much greater gift than physical life, it provides spiritual and eternal life. A Father, who through the works of the Son on the cross, and by the Holy Spirit, is present in my “booth” when I partake in it. The triune of God is present more closely during the Lord’s Supper than anything else I can do in life because of the promise of the Son that when you “Do this in remembrance of me” I will be with you. A meal, that if I receive and eat it in shame and sorrow would be insulting and saddening to Father. Like it would be to the father of the boy if he received his waffle with sorrow, ate it in quiet shame, never once looking up at his dad.
I am reminded that as a person in the “church” I have taken the Lord’s Supper at times for granted. I need to receive the bread and the cup in celebration with “big eyes” and a wide open heart in wonder and amazement of all the love the Father has bestowed upon me. I need to receive it like that child at the Waffle House and look up to my Father, my Abba, my daddy and give him a big grin!
My family, I pray today at every meal you partake in a big smile of joy will come over your face and you will look up at your heavenly Father and say “Thanks dad!” In Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
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