Late Night Thoughts on Feasting.

Over the past week and a bit, the word 'feast' has come into my mind on numerous occasions and I find myself completely drawn and mesmerized by the concept. I'm not thinking of this word in the typical use of the word as it pertains to physically eating, but rather the meaning behind the word. Let me try to explain.

Miriam Webster defines the word 'feast' as follows:

a) an elaborate and usually abundant meal often accompanied by a ceremony or entertainment.
b) something that gives unusual or abundant enjoymentfeast
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I LOVE the second definition, particularly the words abundant enjoyment. This whole notion of 'feasting' first appeared last weekend. Our office team was out in Saskatoon hosting a weekend retreat resourcing a group of intercessors across the prairies on prayer. Not only was it neat to gather together such a dynamic group of intercessors who have a heart for the nations, but I am always amazed at how God moves and works in the hearts of those gathered - myself included.
I will admit that going into the weekend, I was not overly excited. An intense, focused time of prayer requires a certain level of vulnerability - both with the Holy Spirit and also with others in the room. I'm not always very good at the vulnerability piece (I have a tendency to be a little stubborn...shocking, I know!) But, as the weekend progressed, there were some holy moments as I allowed myself to be both vulnerable and available.

We read through Psalm 23 as a group and we asked God to give us each a word, a phrase or an image from the Psalm that we needed to focus on. For me, the words were,

"as I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me...you prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies".

It's not so much about the words in particular that grabbed my attention, but rather the picture of what it must look and feel like to move from a place of famine and hardship into a place of abundance and feasting. There are promises in these verses...God walks with us through the valleys and a feast awaits us on the other side. I imagine that if one never experienced a period of darkness or uncertainty, he or she would not be capable of experiencing the richness and the extravagance of a feast in all of its fullness. That movement from famine to feast invites restoration and refreshment - physically, emotionally and spiritually for the soul. A relationship with God does not promise unending feasting. Scripture is explicit in that there will be valleys of death that we will need to walk through, but as we figure out how to walk that road we are also invited to feast in the uncertainty - to feast - to experience abundant enjoyment in knowing that we do not walk the road alone and that restoration awaits us.

Next, we read through Matthew 9:9-13. It's a very different kind of picture. There are no quiet meadows or bubbling brooks to lay beside. Rather, I imagine a scene of chaos - loud voices as 'bad ass', scruffy men - outsiders if you will, sit around a table sharing a meal, and yet, the word feast continues to ring in my head. Among this group of outsiders sits Jesus. These men, despite their flaws and foul language are doing what Jesus longs for us all to do...to feast in his presence - to truly soak him in. In verse 13 we read,

"Go and learn what this means, I desire mercy, not sacrifice".

I often equate mercy to grace. Jesus knew who these men were - tax collectors, some of the lowest in society at the time and yet, Jesus modelled grace and mercy to these men. Jesus invites us to feast in grace...to feast in forgiveness. Could it be that choosing to feast in forgiveness and grace could bring abundant enjoyment? If that's the case, I want to learn what this means...to desire mercy and grace.

I have much to learn about what it means for one to feast in uncertainty, to feast in God's goodness, to feast in forgiveness and to feast in grace.
Regardless of the learning curve ahead of me, I choose to feast.