Monday 15th June - The feast

DAILY BYTE

Are you afraid of the word, “stewardship?” Does it hold any meaning for you? Does it remind you of nothing other than churches begging for money?

Well, this week, we’ll delve into the topic of stewardship by first talking about – well – food. Just stay with me. I love to eat good food. I mean really, who doesn’t? About a year ago, my dad came to visit me for a weekend. He lived over six hours away from me, so this was his only opportunity to give about six months worth of love to me and my friends, since he would not see most of us again for quite a while. So, my dad offered to take me to dinner and promised I could bring as many of my friends as were available. I remember him saying, “Think of someplace you want to go that your budget would not normally allow.” I told him that could be KFC for all the money we had, but he lovingly retorted, “No, think of someplace really nice that you love or have always wanted to try.”

Well, it turned out that more people were able to come than we thought. But, a promise was a promise, and so off all twelve of us trooped to a delicious and expensive restaurant named Vin Rouge. And there was wine, and there was a scrumptious spread of crusty bread, olive oil, garlic, butternut squash soup, grouper, crab, mussels, potatoes, trout, almonds, greens, and the crème de la crème, crème brulee itself, caramelized sugar melting in our mouths, mingling with the taste of a Belgian chocolate mousse with the consistency of ice cream – it was made with such fine milk. My taste buds are salivating, even as I write this and as I remember that this feast was a crucial moment in my understanding of stewardship. And you’re probably wondering how…

In the Scripture this week, the prophet Isaiah speaks: Whoa, “all who are thirsty, Come for water, Even if you have no money; Come, buy food and eat: Buy food without money, Wine and milk without cost” (TNK).

Can you see any connections between this feast for the people of God offered on behalf of God by the prophet Isaiah and the feast offered to my friends and me by my father?

My dad’s feast for us was the bread, wine, and milk – the sustenance of life – given freely to me and to those I love.

It is difficult, is it not, to understand that something is free? After all, we learn at an early age that nothing in life is free – many of us know the horrible embarrassment that rises in our guts when we arrive at the till of a store or restaurant only to discover that there isn’t enough money in our wallets to pay the bill. The stare from the shop worker makes us intensely aware that we’ve broken some cardinal societal rule in our inability to pay for goods we need to survive.

And yet, Isaiah presents in this passage a feast for all, not just for those who can afford to pay. He presents enough water to quench thirst and enough milk and wine to provide sustenance and a little twinge of joy.

My dad offered me and people he didn’t even know enough water, milk, and wine to quench our thirst and provide us with sustenance and added joy. My friends could not believe that they were receiving this meal, the value of thousands of rand, for free, simply because my dad accepted the opportunity to give an abundant feast to those he loves.

Do you eat of the feast that God freely gives to you? What does this story teach you about God’s abundant love that has made us stewards over all creation?

FOCUS READING

Isaiah 55:1 (Tanakh)

Whoa, “all who are thirsty, Come for water, Even if you have no money; Come, buy food and eat: Buy food without money, Wine and milk without cost.”