The holiday season is here, bringing with it numerous invitations to Friendsgiving, family Thanksgiving meals, and Christmas parties galore! It is the most wonderful and engaging time of the year, not just because of gifts we receive but also due to something we often overlook… the significance of gathering with friends and family around the table. God instituted the table in Exodus 25, where He instructs Moses to build the Table of Shewbread or “Bread of the Face” for the Tabernacle. It was the genesis of the sacred symbol of worship to the Lord. The table, a common piece of furniture used for gathering over food and fellowship, symbolized the opportunity to meet with God, and those made in His image, face-to-face. This table created a holy and sacred space. There are two tables in the Bible that provide insight into reconciliation and humility. Our own table can transform ordinary gatherings into extraordinary experiences. The first table setting is beautifully adorned to reflect a father’s love and reconciliation to his son. We know this son as the prodigal son (Luke 11:11-32). He is the youngest son who made poor financial and moral choices with his inheritance, and because of this, his future seemed to be obliterated. However, he found his way back home to the welcoming arms of his father and a grand celebration. The son who willfully separated himself from his father, now finds himself sitting at his father’s table of grace and forgiveness. The second table hosts the Passover meal for Jesus and His disciples. While this meal was an annual tradition in the Jewish community, this particular gathering was different. The customary gathering would become extraordinary! Jesus transformed the ordinary meal into a sacred meal of bread and wine that we know as the Eucharist or Communion. It was in this setting that Jesus demonstrated how to sit with those who betray us and to serve, in humility, those gathered at His table – taking on the role of servant and washing their feet. There is a strong possibility that similar scenarios from these two tables will be echoed at your holiday gatherings. You may gather in homes, restaurants, break rooms, parks, or coffee shops. The names may be different, but you will undoubtedly be faced with opportunities to show grace, forgiveness, and humility. You can accept the assignment of servant-hearted, so those who gather with you will experience the love of the Father at your table. Whether your table is set with paper plates or grandma’s fine china and all its finery. The most desired ambiance should be that of Father God’s grace, love, and mercy. The ancient stories of table encounters, still offer healing prescriptions for our tables today. They take away the sting from those who have disappointed us and dispel the shadows created by misunderstandings. May all our tables be filled with love, laughter, grace, comfort, acceptance, and the feeling of home.
Deborah McGrew is Executive Assistant at Koinonia Church in Hanford, CA. She can be reached at debm@kchanford.com or 559-582-1528.