4 Days Until Christmas
Do you have your menu for Christmas meals ready? Are you prepared to go grocery shopping? Is everything pulled out to decorate the table?
We put so much time and effort into preparing the dining table for holiday meals. Christmas may be the only time each year that we're surrounded by so many loved ones, so this is an important centerpiece of the day.
Once the linens have been spread, the flowers and candles are in place and the dinnerware is laid out, the people take their seats. Whether there are two of you or a table-full of family and friends, Christmas is complete around the edge of the table. Grace is spoken and God rests His hand on each in attendance.
Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord. John 21:12
Everything on your table this Christmas is a precious gift from God. He has provided in ways no one else can. The food, decorations, plates and trappings of the day are all supplied by a loving, gracious Heavenly Father with great desires for us. He is pleased when we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, when we gather together as a family and when we join at the table together.
Jesus invited His disciples back to the table after His resurrection. He had prepared breakfast on the beach for them, showing such love and compassion to His followers, even when they weren't so faithful. The table that morning was a expression of forgiveness, encouragement and renewal for men who were broken and far from God's side.
That's exactly what our meal will provide to those who gather around it this weekend. The table should be a place to be fed both physically and spiritually. It's a place of love, peace and strength for those who are saved by the grace of God. For the lost, it's a chance to hear the Gospel one more time - perhaps with words, but more importantly by the way we speak, interact and serve.
While it may seem like just another event in the holiday schedule, the Christmas dining table is so much more than that. As we gather around it, make the table a shining example of Christ's love, especially to celebrate His birthday.
We put so much time and effort into preparing the dining table for holiday meals. Christmas may be the only time each year that we're surrounded by so many loved ones, so this is an important centerpiece of the day.
Once the linens have been spread, the flowers and candles are in place and the dinnerware is laid out, the people take their seats. Whether there are two of you or a table-full of family and friends, Christmas is complete around the edge of the table. Grace is spoken and God rests His hand on each in attendance.
Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord. John 21:12
Everything on your table this Christmas is a precious gift from God. He has provided in ways no one else can. The food, decorations, plates and trappings of the day are all supplied by a loving, gracious Heavenly Father with great desires for us. He is pleased when we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, when we gather together as a family and when we join at the table together.
Jesus invited His disciples back to the table after His resurrection. He had prepared breakfast on the beach for them, showing such love and compassion to His followers, even when they weren't so faithful. The table that morning was a expression of forgiveness, encouragement and renewal for men who were broken and far from God's side.
That's exactly what our meal will provide to those who gather around it this weekend. The table should be a place to be fed both physically and spiritually. It's a place of love, peace and strength for those who are saved by the grace of God. For the lost, it's a chance to hear the Gospel one more time - perhaps with words, but more importantly by the way we speak, interact and serve.
While it may seem like just another event in the holiday schedule, the Christmas dining table is so much more than that. As we gather around it, make the table a shining example of Christ's love, especially to celebrate His birthday.
What a wonderful post, spoken from your heart. Thanks so much for sharing.
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Gwenny
Praise His holy name! I pray your table will be blessed this weekend. Have a fabulous, precious Christmas.
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