A few thoughts 2

Dinner time becomes a liberating experience when Jesus is involved. Both in the story of the unnamed sinful woman (Luke 7: 36-50), and in the story of  Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-7), Jesus’ actions around the meal table had the same result. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
 
His actions:
 
·       Took away their shame humiliation and guilt.
 
People feel a sense of guilt when they know they have done something they shouldn’t have done. People feel a sense of shame when somebody else knows what they have done.
 
·       Gave them a sense of dignity and released them from their old captivity.
 
I love the words of Psalm 3:4, where David describes God as “the lifter of my head”. When Jesus liberates us we can hold our heads high.
 
·       Exhorted them to not to confuse their perception of themselves with who they really were.
 
When God creates us He gives us our unique personality—the real us. Over time, and as we deal with life’s circumstances, we tend to develop a persona—a skewed version of the real us. Jesus will always bring us back to the perfect way God created us to be.
·       Delivered reassuring word for their lives such as “Do not fear and cheer up—your sins are forgiven.”
 
Once we really grasp the benefits of our salvation, it is hard to remain sad and afraid. We have life more abundantly here on this earth, followed by everlasting life in the age to come!
 
The living presence of Jesus—around the meal table—awakened joy and set people free. It was characteristic of his ministry.
 
I pray that those of us who know this life giving God will be people of hospitality, opening our homes, inviting people around our table, and sharing that same living presence—the presence that lives in us--  whenever we can.