Am I living as a servant of others?
I used to cater for youth summer camps. I loved it: setting the menu, scaling the recipes up to feed 110 people, ordering 200 hot cross buns from Asda, and having a kitchen full of people layering 12 huge lasagnes. I have very fond memories of those days in the kitchen. It was exhausting but it was great to know you were very practically serving others.
One thing I particularly loved was the special requests. Not dietary requirements, that was a different matter. But the special requests from a kid who was home sick and wanted beans on toast like his mum made, or the young girl who was struggling with an eating disorder who would trust me to cook a meal for her with an exact amount of calories we had agreed was safe for the day, or even the occasional leader who was struggling with tiredness and needed a little pick-me-up in the form of their favourite cake. I loved knowing that food had a way of making people feel safe and comfortable. I knew that if everyone had full bellies they were far more likely to enjoy the day’s activities, but also far more likely to listen to the teaching sessions and engage with the evening worship.
Jesus knew food was vital for life but also a great way to share love with people. He often ate with people and he even cooked breakfast for his disciples. One of my favourite encounters of the disciples with the risen Jesus is the miraculous catch of fish (John 21:1-14). After fishing all night and not catching anything the disciples are ready to pack up and go home to sleep. They see someone on the shore who tells them to throw their nets on the right side of the boat and they do just that. The fish filled the net and they counted 153 fish before they all ate breakfast with Jesus on the beach.
Who could you share a meal with this week as a way of showing Jesus’ love? It doesn’t have to be a huge banquet – simple fish and chips could be just the meal someone needs.
Rachel, Inspire Missioner, UK
“Come let’s have breakfast,” Jesus said to them. And not one of them needed to ask who he was, because everyone of them knew it was the Lord. Then Jesus came close to them and served them the bread and the fish. John 21:12-13 TPT
He said come to the table
© Sidewalk Prophets, 2015.
Come join the sinners who have been redeemed
Take your place beside the Savior
Sit down and be set free
Come to the table
