Food

Thanksgiving is tomorrow! If you do not live in the United States, you are missing a wonderful celebration of God’s abundant provisions. Thanksgiving is the only holiday that is celebrated in no other way but by the gathering of family and friends to eat, and eat abundantly. It is a celebration of our thankfulness for food. And what is a garden, really, except a means of producing food?

From the beginning, God knew we needed food and provided it; perhaps even creating this need in us.

God said, “See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit, you shall have them for food.” Genesis 1:29

When His people were wandering around the wilderness, God provided manna for them to eat and, on at least one occasion, quail.

At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread, then you shall know that I am the Lord your God. Exodus 16:7

Food was a necessary part of hospitality, and feasting was a national requirement for the Israelites. There were many reasons to sacrifice animals to the Lord; most involved a subsequent feast.

And the flesh of your thanksgiving sacrifice of well-being shall be eaten on the day it is offered; you shall not leave any of it until morning. Leviticus 7:15

Food plays a critical role in Jesus’ ministry – from meals with sinners and pharisees, to the feeding of thousands. Jesus compared the kingdom of heaven to a feast (Matt. 22; Luke 14), and used yeast to describe both bad teaching (Mark 8) and the kingdom of God (Luke 13).

Jesus establishes the most enduring remembrance of His life, death, and return as a meal. The Last Supper, the Lord’s Supper, Holy Communion, Eucharist.

Then He took a loaf of bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me. ” Luke 22:19

Food. We have to have it. We have made an art form of it. Just the varieties of bread across cultures and within cultures are mind-boggling. A friend of mine makes egg rolls for Thanksgiving to honor her Vietnamese heritage. Naan is a wonderful addition to crescent rolls. How about leftover turkey tacos or pitas along with our hot browns? How many varieties of dressing does your family serve?

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” John 6:35

Because as wonderful and filling as our Thanksgiving feast may be tomorrow, by Friday, we will need more food. But once we know Jesus, crucified and risen, we may need to eat, but we will not need to know anything else. We have abundance.

I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. John 10:10

We have so much to be thankful for, so many gifts, so much grace.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Betsy