“Behold,“ He says, “I stand at
the door and knock.“
“Please come in,“ I say, opening
the door wide.
“You’re having a bit of a hard
time today?“ He asks. He says it like a question, but it’s really more of a
statement. I know that He knows.
He has in His arms a large box.
He walks past me into the kitchen and sets it down on the counter. The first
thing He takes out is a beautiful white linen tablecloth. He shakes it out as
He moves into the dining room, and He spreads it out on my dining room table.
He lays out two dinner plates of fine china, crystal goblets, polished cutlery,
and neatly folded napkins that match the tablecloth. He sets a vase full of
flowers – fresh, colorful, fragrant – at the centre of the table.
“What are you doing?” I ask.
“I said I would prepare a table
for you in the presence of your enemies,” He says.
“Well, I sure do feel like I’m
surrounded by enemies right now,” I answer wearily.
He returns to the kitchen and
starts to carry in the food as I stand there full of wonder. There is a rack of
lamb, still sizzling, trailing its aroma of rosemary, garlic, and thyme. There
are roast potatoes, nicely browned, and a medley of vegetables, some of which I
don’t even recognize. There is a crisp salad and a basket of steaming brown
buns. Then He places beside the food a jug of water that sparkles like it’s
alive.
I have been too anxious and
distracted all day to even have an appetite, but now my mouth is watering and
my stomach is making its hunger known.
He pulls out a chair and gestures
to me to sit, seating me in the most gentlemanly and fond manner, then begins
to fill my plate.
“Lord, it doesn’t feel right, You
serving me like this.”
He doesn’t answer right away; He
carefully fills my cup to the brim, pouring until it cannot hold another drop.
Then he faces me full on, still holding the jug, his eyes warm. “Do you
remember when I said, ‘He that is greatest among you must be the servant of
all?’ Think about that for a while.”
I’m not sure what He means; I
will have to think about that later. Instead I ask, “Who is the other plate
for? Are you going to eat with me?“
“I stood at your door and
knocked,“ He says. “You heard my voice and opened the door. So I came in, and
as I have said, I will dine with you, and you with me.”
I suddenly realize how dry I am. I
take a sip of water and swallow. I can feel it tingling all the way down. It
seems like if I just drink this, I will never be thirsty again.
Together we eat. The food
nourishes my body; I can feel strength flowing into me. The flavours delight my
taste buds and satisfy my soul. The conversation, easy but deep, draws out my
thoughts, enriches my understanding, and fills my deepest yearnings.
My troubles seem far away. They
cannot touch me. The presence of the Lord is a shield to me. My soul is
restored.
