The Table

For me, the table brings everything together. It is the catalyst for all sorts of great things that we could talk about. All the important documents signed, discoveries made or speeches written. But what pulls it all together for me is the meal table. Breakfast, lunch and dinner and everything in between. How can I say this brings EVERYTHING together? It all starts with the earth. Like the dirt, not the idea of a celestial body.

All food comes from the earth; the soil, the water, the organic materials that makes up the ground we walk on. Whether you like to pluck from the top, middle, or bottom of the food pyramid we all owe our health to the health of the soil.

The beauty of the earth brings up beautiful fruits. Plants, seeds, vegetables and fruits of all kinds. As we pull these things from the ground and place them on the table, whether we stop to recognize it or not, we are lifting up the beauty of these things. God gifts us these things from the very beginning [Genesis 1:29]. The state of that food directly reflects the state of the ground from which it came. If it is bursting with goodness and life, so too the soil. If it is withered and poisoned so too the earth. As we eat of these things, we assume their state; healthy or not, full of life or a poor reflection of the physical beauty God gifted us in the beginning. But that's food, not the table right? This is where the EVERYTHING part comes in.

Check out my blog on Dominion to hear some of my thoughts around the intersection of physical and spiritual. People are that intersection. We are given the spiritual image of God plus the breath of life along with the other physical things he breathed into.

The table is where spiritual life meets physical life.

The table is where a family gathers to look across at each other to say nothing at all or everything in their hearts. Communities are born from the table where the playing field is flat and equal. We approach the table with the same basic physical need to eat. We do this together as everyone contributes to preparing and/or sharing the meal. And in so doing we begin to meet our spiritual needs for connection, home, belonging.

When food becomes fast our spirit becomes short. When food becomes slow our spirits stand tall.

This is because of the relationship, the connection, whatever you want to call requires being present. I don't mean in the same place at the same time but together in the sense of sharing a moment. When two meet at the table they share intimacy. When many gather they share in one body. It should be no mystery then that Jesus asks his people to remember him at the table. The bread and the wine from the earth, a physical symbol of his oh, so spiritual self. What command does he leave with his people, his community during the meal?

"Do this in remembrance of me." [Luke 22:19]

He tells us to remember the savior of the world by conducting a physical necessity that you must do together. Should we not do this with excellence then? See Paul's rebuke in 1 Corinthians 11:21. Some weren't waiting for others at the communion table. One person gets drunk before the other even shows up. So we know that's a bad idea. Let's wait and eat and drink together. To share the communion table is something special, spiritual, physical, a sacrament.

We haven't covered EVERYTHING yet so stick with me for a few more words. If you have ever eaten then you know the difference the first bite of a good meal can make. Satisfaction like no other. You are not full but you know that you will be. A really good meal, and by that I mean a nourishing, hand crafted spread with your people, can do more for a person than most other things. An empty stomach is a fine place to meet God but how beautiful is it when our minds turn their attention from the fruits of the earth in our stomach to a thankful heart? When communion takes place and the savior meets our needs we overflow to thoughts of others.

Who else could share in this table?

How can hunger for food and community be satisfied in those around us?

If I have this joy in the body of Christ how can I allow my neighbor to be in such sorrow?

In this way Jesus gives us the table, from soil to mission. Spurring us on to stewardship of the earth and community. He completes the redemption of God's creation and empowers the great commission [Matthew 28:16-20] all in memory of his name.