“And we will share a meal together as friends.” (Revelation 3:20 NLT)
One of the unforeseen blessings in pandemic has been an uptick in personal gratitude. We are so wealthy, busy and entertained in America that it’s very easy to take things for granted. But a few months into this Co-Vid19 season and suddenly anything social is special again.
On Sunday, some dear friends of mine showed up at church. Their masks and out-of-context presence took me a moment to recognize. When I finally did, it was the most terrific surprise! We sat together in service and honestly I was torn between my desire to worship in person and my desire to enjoy my friends. When service concluded, we went out for lunch and spent two hours in a booth together at a mostly-vacant cafe. The worship service, the friends, and the shared fellowship of an ordinary meal are all on my gift list now: extraordinary treasures after such a season of solitude.
The truth is, a meal with dear friends has always been a gift, we just struggle to see it amidst all our excess.
Jesus offers us the same gift; He longs to sit with us, break bread and share fellowship. We fail to realize just how fantastic His offer is because we have so much going on. Consider it, though, how the King of Kings and Lord of Lords longs to commune with us!
It is my prayer that when this pandemic ends, we would not just return to life as normal. No, I hope we come out of our homes far more grateful than when we first entered them. I believe that every day is a gift and every interaction is an opportunity; therefore gratitude and gladness should mark our lives.
“They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s supper and shared their meals with great joy and generosity – all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved. (Acts 2:46-47 NLT)
Lord, forgive us for our indifference and ingratitude. May we more fully realize what a great gift it is to gather and break bread and worship. Open our eyes to Your daily gifts. Fill our hearts with gladness as we receive them. Move us from selfish entitlement to grateful recipient. Amen.