“So David received of her hand that
which she had brought him, and said unto her, Go up in peace to thine house;
see, I have hearkened to thy voice, and have accepted thy person.” 1 Samuel
25:35
One must never underestimate the power of a good meal, and the
impact the hands can have that prepare it.
In America it is more than a basic necessity. We congregate, share stories, learn, engage,
and bond around mealtime. How many a
child has turned into an adolescent over a birthday dinner? How many sermon discussed over Sunday
afternoon fried chicken? The table and
the food that furnishes it is grafted into the fabric of our daily lives. We can never underestimate the power of a
good meal, or the profit that can come from simply gathering around the kitchen
table. There is a lot that can be said
for good ole fashion home cookin’.
In the 25th chapter of
Samuel, would be King David crosses pass with a foolish man (quite literally) named
Nabal. Nabal snubs the King in a way
that enrages David. Nabal was foolish by
all accounts, but thankfully his wife Abigail was not. She recognized the authority that David held
through God, not simply because he was David the warrior, but rather because he
was David the anointed King. In faith
she saw the Lords anointed reigning on the throne and knew that to cross him
was to cross God. Knowing that David was
hungry and needed food, her immediate response was to gather up a big feast for
him and his men and run to meet them, before he came to seek vengeance on all
that was in her house. What she brought
to the table and the manner in which she brought it pleased David and he heard
her counsel; thereby refraining himself from doing something that he might
regret later. Who’s to say that the same
would have transpired if she had brought nothing, but the reality is, a good
meal granted her audience with the future king, and gave opportunity for
counsel, guidance, and a moment to minister.
There is no virtue in food, like all things in this world, it is temporal. However, as with many things in this world,
it can be used as a resource for the ministry.
I had a dear brother say to me one time while we were sitting having
dinner at our kitchen table: “Brother, I think one of the biggest resources we
have to minister with is this right here (as he pointed at the table).” The kitchen table in the American home is a
valuable resource to advance God’s kingdom.
Growing up, we ate home cooked meals almost every night. Day after day I watched my mother prepare,
cook, and serve us. It took work,
sacrifice, and dedication. When the table
was set, we would all come stop what we were doing to gather around the
table. Then, we said the blessing. Day after day, week after week, year after
year; we thanked God as a family for what we had. We discussed what had been, what was, and
prepared for what was to come; as a family.
I can still remember saying my Sunday school verse again on Sunday
afternoon at the kitchen table (and I can still say those verses), I can
remember discussing the Sunday sermon, I can remember watching my Dad ignore
phone calls from work; dinner time was just dinner time to a child, but now
looking back, it’s a class room, a sanctuary, and pillar of my childhood. The opportunity to minister and the tools to
do it with is right in your home. The
battle for America is in a house, but not the White House, it is in your house
and mine.
We have the ability to gain the audience of those we want to
reach, and we have the tools to do it with.
How often is this opportunity squandered? What can the television teach us about
God? What can the IPhone do for
fellowship? The world can only have as
much influence in our homes as we allow.
We commission pastors, laymen, preachers, Sunday school teachers to
educate our youth about God and Jesus, but honestly, what better teaching agent
is there than the American home? What
better educators than a sanctified Husband and Wife? What better venue than a good meal: prepared,
presented and attended?
“And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking
bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of
heart, Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added
to the church daily such as should be saved “ Acts 2: 46-47
