Food That Says I Love You

Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread. I'm Elisa Morgan, and I titled our reading, Food That Says I Love You. I attended a family birthday gathering where the hostess wove the theme of favorite things into the decor, the gifts, and best of all, the food. Because the birthday girl loved steak and salad and white chocolate raspberry bundt cake, the hostess grilled steak and spun spinach and ordered that favorite cake.

Favorite foods say, I love you. The Bible contains many references to banquets, feasts, and festivals, pairing the physical act of eating with celebrations of God's faithfulness. Eating was part of the sacrificial system of worship practiced by the Israelites with Passover, the Festival of Weeks, and new moon feasts held every month. And in Psalm 23 5, God prepares a table with an abundant meal and cups overflow with mercy and love. Perhaps the most lavish pairing of food and wine ever expressed was when Jesus broke a piece of bread and took a cup of wine illustrating the gift of His death on a cross for our salvation. He then challenged us to do this in remembrance of me in Luke chapter 22 verse 19. As you partake of food today, take a moment to consider the God who made both mouth and stomach and offers food to you as a language of His love and celebration of His faithfulness.

Ours is a God who feasts with the faithful, pairing His perfect provision with our great need saying, I love you. Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Luke chapter 22 verses 14 through 20. When the hour came, Jesus and His apostles reclined at the table, and He said to them, I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer, for I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God. After taking the cup, He gave thanks and said, Take this and divide it among you, for I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes. And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them saying, This is My body given for you.

Do this in remembrance of Me. In the same way, after the supper, He took the cup saying, This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you. Let's pray. Thank you, God, for all that you faithfully provide, including Our Daily Bread and our very salvation. It's in Jesus' name that we pray. Thanks for listening today. My name is Elisa Morgan, and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.