I don’t know about you – BUT I THINK ABOUT FOOD pretty often. – Not that I obsess about it, but it’s never all that far from my consciousness. (I watch the food channel, too.)
I was just thinking how often the Bible mentions food. i.e. EATING! The Scripture doesn’t seem to overly concern itself with the KIND OF FOOD or the physical activity of putting it into one’s mouth.
Rather, there seems to be always SOMETHING ELSE involved; It dawned on me that the “something else” was that PEOPLE WEREN’T EATING ALONE. (Obviously by force of circumstance, some did and some still do.) But folks, for the most part, were eating TOGETHER – and THAT was more significant than the menu or the preparation and presentation.
Think about it. In the Old Testament it was incumbent to WELCOME STRANGERS at a MEAL. The EXODUS was begun at a MEAL OF FAMILIES TOGETHER. In the New Testament, THE PHARISEES GET STRESSED not because Jesus is eating PORK BURGERS, but because of the FOLKS AT THE TABLE with Him. The Last Supper has become known as “THE COMMUNION” not simply because of the union of bread, wine/Body, Blood, BUT because of the UNION OF BELIEVERS WITH CHRIST AND ONE ANOTHER.
Katherine and I both grew up in families that ATE SUPPER TOGETHER. We made that part of the FAMILY RITUAL with OUR children. Almost nothing was allowed to interfere with the supper hour. The food, although important, was not REALLY THE POINT. The “TOGETHER PART” was. I highly recommend it to families with children. Remember the “P” word! PRIORITIZE!!
HEAVEN is described as a FEAST OR BANQUET. The menu won’t be important. (We’ll like whatever it is.) BUT THE COMPANY WILL BE ABSOLUTELY AWESOME!! PRAISE GOD!!