A Place at His Table

The last 24 hours of the savior's life shows Him beginning it by sharing the passover meal with His 12 disciples. The account can be found in Mark 14:12-31. One of the things Jesus did during the Passover meal was to talk about the significance of His body and His blood to the disciples and how they were to remember by eating the bread and drinking of the cup together. So, Jesus was very aware of what the next 24 hours held for Him.

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Clearly, Jesus knew what would transpire in the next 24 hours. He knew that those who were sharing this very meal with Him would also make some decisions that would be significant in their relationship with Him as well. Jesus shared that one of them will betray Him, one will deny Him, and the others will abandon Him. The incredible thing is not that He knew this, but what He did with the knowledge. He still shared the meal with them. He did not lecture them about being weak and unfaithful. He did not show any irritation towards them for their coming cowardice. He simply gave them something to hold on to later on when they were hiding and scared. They could always look back and know they had a place at the table of the King! He did not tell them to leave His table even though He knew what actions they were going to take in just a few hours hence.

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How encouraging! If our savior did not remove the disciples from the table when He clearly knew what they were about to do, that means He will not prevent me from sharing a place at His table as well. Unbelievable, I have a place at His table. In spite of my many failures and the mess I have made of my life, Jesus will let me share a meal with Him. In spite of what others think of me, Jesus thoughts are much different and He will still let me dine with Him. What a savior, what a King.

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In II Samuel 9: 1-13, David did a similar thing for Mephibosheth at his table. King David remembered his promise to his special friend Jonathan and inquired about any survivors that he was unaware of, and he learned about a son of Jonathan's named Mephibosheth. He had his servants bring Mephibosheth to him and an amazing encounter took place. Upon entering the presence of the king Mephibosheth prostrated him self and asked, "What is your servant, that you should look upon as a dead dog as I?" (II Samuel 9:8). He knew how insignificant he was and could not comprehend that anything good was about to come out of this encounter with the king. Mephibosheth was also lame in both feet, the result of a childhood accident, and it is unlikely that the king would want to have someone as helpless as that around him. But, David makes an incredible statement. He tells Mephibosheth that you shall eat at my table continually, verse 7.

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It makes no difference if I am crippled, physically out of shape, or carry things in my heart I shouldn't carry. The King has a place for me at His table. Give thanks that we serve such a King. Thank you, oh Father, for your wonderful grace. Let me become more like Jesus as I sit with Him at the table and learn of His heart. He has reserved for me, a pleace at His table.

Will God Speak to Me?

The dialogue between Jesus and the woman at the well in John 4:1-25 is most revealing. Here is a woman who chooses an opportune time to draw water so as to avoid seeing other women. Because this is not the time that the other women would typically draw water. She seems to be looking for solitude to probably avoid the cruelty that the other women would throw her way. She is a five time divorcee and is currently living out of wed lock with another man. This is a recipe for gossip, judgment, and rejection. She is the person others would hold up and say, "well I'm not perfect, but at least I'm better than she is." Who wants to hear such things said about themselves? I know I'd seek out the most opportune time myself if I had to face such cruelty.

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This woman must have really been lonely. She didn't even have a girlfriend she could walk to the well and visit with while they went about their chores. She concluded at some point that it would be better to go by herself and avoid the confrontations sure to come her way.

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Yet, on this particular trip, a man was sitting by the well and a Jew at that. I wonder if she thought to herself when she saw Jesus sitting there, "if it weren't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all." A Jew of all people. Jews and Samaritans mix together like oil and water. They just don't like each other. So, it must have been quite a shock when Jesus asked her for a drink of water. Now how significant is this? Look at the contrast between righteousness and sinfulness that Jesus and the woman represent. It is an ocean of difference. It is so clear, that I think we have to marvel at what actually occurred. Jesus spoke to her! God does not run from, nor even shun such a person. God instead speaks to such people. This is incredible! This is such a revelation about what our Father is like. He will engage you in dialogue. He will not be mean, judgemental, or reject you. Instead, He will reveal Himself to you, if you will listen.

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Her first response to Jesus' request for a drink was to raise up the old hatreds between their peoples. Yet Jesus did not respond in kind. Instead he told her that "If you knew the gift of God and who it is who says to you,'Give me a drink,' you would have asked Him and He would have given you living water." (John 4:10). When God comes to you, He brings a gift that will be refreshing to our souls. It will be renewing to our hearts. It will be revealing to our minds. God approaches such people and God speaks to us! Father, I am immoral, I am sinful, I am prideful, I am hateful, I am envious, I am messy through and through, and yet, You will speak to me. Father, I am stunned. Thank you.

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As the woman begins to understand that Jesus is no ordinary man, she shares some confusion with him. "Where are we supposed to worship God? Here or there?" Then, Jesus reveals something else that is extraordinary about the God who even today, we are still confused about. He tells her what kind of people the Father is seeking to worship Him. "But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth: for the Father is seeking SUCH to worship Him." (John 4:23) Oh that I will be SUCH a person.

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Then there is one more amazing thing that the woman reveals about herself. Even though she is an outcast, immoral, and sinful. She is actually waiting for "Messiah to come and tell us all things." She is living about as far from righteousness as one can get and yet she is looking for Messiah. When Jesus reveals that He is Messiah, she doesn't scoff, she doesn't laugh. Instead, she believes! He is coming and I want to see Him seems to have been her thoughts. I wonder if she thought that when He comes, I'll be an anonymous face in the large crowd that comes to hear Him speak, and yet here is the very Messiah and He is speaking to her personally and on her level. What a wonderful Father we have. He will reach out to me in the same way. He will meet me at my level, exactly where I am and will bring me along from that point.

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Father, this story is just so refreshing, so touching, and so incredible. As messy as I am, and as many issues as I have, You choose to speak to me and to let someone like me worship you. I am shaken to my core. I am so grateful. My own mother, the very one who birthed me, does not accept me like this, and yet You, my Father, You cherish me. Fill my heart with your Spirit and teach me more and more about You. Meet me at my well of solitude and loneliness, and speak to me.