Sunday Dinner

Sabbath Scripture
“My food,” said Jesus “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work”. John 4:34

Sabbath Reflection
As a child Sunday dinner was the biggest dinner of the week, it was more special than supper because extended family usually gathered at one of grandmother’s houses. Family traveled in from the city, brothers sisters, in-laws talked about the past weeks’ events and cousins played childhood games and bonded. The meal was not really important to us as long as there was enough when we were called to the dinner table. Our food on Sundays was the joy of being with family and unknown to us at the time, creating memories to share with our own kids one day. Our food was the comradeship of family, and love poured out by “big mama” and ”Papa”.

One day Jesus and the disciples had been traveling from Judea to Galilee, the disciples went into the village to get food; Jesus continued on until He reached a well where He sat down alone to rest as He was weary and tired. In spite of His tiredness Jesus saw a work needing to be completed as a thirsty and hungry spirit approached the well. Here He feed the spirit of a woman from Samaria. The Samaritan woman had been in need of some real nourishment for years. Her food had consisted of bad decisions, wrong choices, poor judgment, loneliness, hiding, and avoidance. Her life didn’t consist of Sunday dinners and when Jesus offered her a life time of fulfillment (Sunday dinners) she could only focus on the short term results, (supper) no longer having to put herself out there for ridicule and judgment. Because she couldn’t imagine her life as Sunday Dinner it took her a while to recognize the authentic food Jesus was offering. How long does it take us to recognize the true and lasting food Jesus offers? How often do we lower His Sunday dinner to supper? How often do we fail to recognize His poured out love as food for our very souls?

When the disciples arrived they were concerned about Jesus eating, knowing He must be hungry they tried to persuade him to eat and Jesus responded “My food,” said Jesus “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work”. Jesus teaches us to move beyond the cares of this world; the physical food (supper) for which we rely to a deeper place, to everlasting food (Sunday Dinner). Food which will quench all hunger, only what we do for the Father will last. Jesus was saying my nourishment comes from a different place; I am filled by my connection with the Father. It fills me to please the Father when I please Him my hunger is satiate. In fact I just ate, I just brought a woman lost, living in darkness to a woman found and running in the light. This is my food to save the lost, to take away condemnation, to show you the God of truth. Our food should be on the things God
has instructed us to do, completing the assignments He has given and following His words for living. When we incorporate Jesus’ attitude and beliefs into our lives our vision changes and we see beyond earthly needs and goals we reach into the spiritual, for God desires those who worship in spirit. Reaching into the spiritual I pray in the spirit seeking God’s truth. I spent time in God’s word gleaming His lessons and directions, than I find I am no longer satisfied by earthly food, it only fills for a little while; it is only when I am living God’s will, fulfilling His plans for my life am I truly filled. The world will continue to try and persuade me to eat its food (supper) and my response prayerfully will be my food is to do the will of my heavenly Father and complete His purpose and plans for my life (Sunday Dinner).

Deeper Personal Reflection
Am I still feasting on supper or have I move to Sunday Dinner
In the spiritual what is your food?

Deeper Personal Study
John 4

Sabbath Prayer
Father God may I always choose food which brings You glory. May I always choose food which will minister to others, planting seeds of love, showing others Your truth. Fill me with thy Holy Spirit and lead me in the way everlasting. In Jesus Name Amen

Click Here for more Spiritual Sundays