Wednesday, November 22
Feast for the Soul
Narrative Lectionary Daily Devotions written by Kace Leetch from Clergy Stuff.
Isaiah paints a picture of a people who have been restored. They were in exile, and Isaiah promises a day when they will return to their homes, their enemies destroyed, and they will feast on wine and tasty food.
I admit it -- I'm one of those people who posts pics of my food, who wipes the edges of the serving dishes, and who tries new things on the menu. Yep, I'm a foodie. And I don't apologize for it. Besides my inherent love of food, I've also learned that food is a powerful social and interpersonal tool. When we enjoy a meal together, there is bonding, healing, and the strengthening of relationships. When we celebrate over a meal, we take a well-deserved moment to enjoy the thing we've accomplished with people we love.
In our busy world, many of us have lost the ability to take time to cook, to prepare a table, and to sit and eat with people we love. But it crucially important for our health and happiness that we do so, at least once in a while. If you are able, host a dinner party (or even just a simple dinner) with people you love sometime in the next few weeks. Prepare your favorite food. Or, if you're really pressed for time, pick a food theme and have everyone bring something related to that theme. (Maybe you host a party where people bring foods from their heritage. Or you host a party where everyone must make something they've never made before. Or choose a culture you don't eat often, like Greek food. Play around with this -- this could be really fun!) Then, when you gather, enjoy the food, but also enjoy each other. Don't worry if your house is clean or the food is cooked perfectly. Spend your energy strengthening your relationships. And remember to have fun. :)
Narrative Lectionary Text: Isaiah 25:1-12
O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you, I will praise your name; for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure. For you have made the city a heap, the fortified city a ruin; the palace of aliens is a city no more, it will never be rebuilt. Therefore strong peoples will glorify you; cities of ruthless nations will fear you. For you have been a refuge to the poor, a refuge to the needy in their distress, a shelter from the rainstorm and a shade from the heat. When the blast of the ruthless was like a winter rainstorm, the noise of aliens like heat in a dry place, you subdued the heat with the shade of clouds; the song of the ruthless was stilled.
On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wines, of rich food filled with marrow, of well-aged wines strained clear. And he will destroy on this mountain the shroud that is cast over all peoples, the sheet that is spread over all nations; he will swallow up death forever. Then the Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces, and the disgrace of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken.
It will be said on that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, so that he might save us. This is the Lord for whom we have waited; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation. For the hand of the Lord will rest on this mountain. The Moabites shall be trodden down in their place as straw is trodden down in a dung-pit. Though they spread out their hands in the midst of it, as swimmers spread out their hands to swim, their pride will be laid low despite the struggle of their hands. The high fortifications of his walls will be brought down, laid low, cast to the ground, even to the dust.