When my daughter graduated from basic training for the U.S. Army, our family traveled to South Carolina to celebrate with her. Having eaten only Army food for three months, she was eager to try some of the famous local barbecue options. Friends who lived nearby recommended a restaurant, and when we opened the door, we took in the mouthwatering aromas of pork and beef, slow-cooked for hours.

I think the Lord’s tabernacle must have smelled like that. Bulls, sheep, and birds were constantly being offered and burned on the altar. And when a family brought an offering with thanks, they were also to bring loaves of bread and oil. The food was shared with the priests so that they could eat too, and everyone was mindful that God himself was enjoying the same meal! In ancient Israel, sharing a meal was a way to nurture relationships with one another. And in South Carolina we talked and laughed as friends and family enjoyed pulled pork, ribs, and smoked brisket.

Is your relationship with Christ as personal and intimate as a shared meal with close friends? Some of us imagine God as being cold and aloof. But God invites us to the intimacy of a dinner table. One of the places we experience this most clearly is at the Lord’s table, where Jesus himself feasts with us and deepens our relationship with him and his church. May we deepen the fellowship we enjoy with God, in Christ!