Table Time

There is something mystical about fellowshipping with others around a table. It is hard to put it into words but a shared meal with others has a power to break relational walls, open hearts up for authentic conversation, and permeate the room with heavenly love and joy.

We experienced this the other night at Oceans Retreat Center with a group of teachers from Ocean View Care Center. The table was the tool to open our hearts to one another and to unlock a time of transparency. This gave room for the Holy Spirit to do His good work moving through the room with touches of love, joy, and healing shalom.

Take a quick survey of Scripture and you will find tables, feasts, festivals, and fellowshipping around food as a central focus. Our Good Father put it into the DNA of human relationships. Read through the 4 Gospels and watch how many times Jesus is at a table bringing a teaching, healing, and pouring out love.

For me some of the most precious words in the Gospel are found in John 13-17. Around a Passover Meal just prior to His death Jesus unleashes truths through words and actions on the heart of living as an authentic follower of Christ. It was that same night that Jesus left us with a lasting table challenge. The bread and the cup representing His body and blood to be our continual feast to empower us to live in the strength of the Holy Spirit.

Is it any surprise that our enemy will attempt to distract people away from communing around a table. He doesn’t want us to have real fellowship with others and especially our Heavenly Father. I recently heard a local high school principal here in South Africa challenge a group of parents to share a meal together with their teenager. Yes, create time and space for real face to face communication to take place. The screen world that we live in is making for a lonely, desperate generation, desperately in need of a holy time of table fellowship.

Maybe part of the problem of the disunity in our world, the church, and our homes is a lack of table time.  We rarely take time to hear those around us. The table gives us time to listen, look into someone’s eyes, and hear their soul speak. I believe our Creator made us in such a way that the table opens us up to real relationships with others and our Heavenly Father.

We have a great chance during the upcoming Holiday Season to make room for table time. Invite others to your table and watch how the Holy Spirit can use it to bring His Kingdom to earth.

“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely Your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” Psalm 23:6