Come to the Table - The Heart and the Invitation
It was the Father’s smile that captured me. When He looked at me in my vision, His smile welcomed me as He invited me to His table. It was becoming clear that, up to this point, my way of approaching God was completely running out of steam and it wasn't working. There was more in His smile than kindness and love, there was almost a look of relief that I finally had come to this point of understanding.
The vision I had seen while in prayer started with God lifting off shame, feelings of failure and the broken ideas of who I should be. They were deep-seated thoughts and feelings that were enmeshed in my life and God was stepping into the midst of it to bring real healing. In tears, I said to God, "I don't know how to do this." He smiled a beautiful smile and said "Come to the table." We walked into a banquet room and I found my seat at the table. It felt so familiar even though I had never seen it before. My chair felt like it was my chair, like it always had been there waiting for me and always would be. In my seat I felt no distance from God who was seated at the head of the table and no competition or desire for a “better” seat.
While in my chair, I saw God sitting at the head of the table. His smile drew me in and I somehow knew it was the same for everyone. I went and sat with Him. I felt His love and refreshing. God allowed me to be so real with where I was at. I told God I was tired and we went together to rest on a couch nearby. As John had done to Jesus, I reclined back onto the Father.
For weeks the Lord continued to open this vision up to me. He explained more of what I saw and helped me to understand His heart for me and to experience greater levels of His love and freedom.
Do you want to experience more of God’s heart for you and others? I certainly do. I want to try to touch on the heart of God by accepting His invitation to come to the table.
The invitation originates deep in the heart of God. It is not a response to our need or pain. It is not a response to the "fall", nor is it in regards to our effort or pursuit. It is God’s heart to reach us in spite of, and alongside, all of those things.
The earliest thought or reference I can find in the Bible to express God’s heart towards us is not in Genesis, or even in the Old Testament, but in Ephesians.
“just as [in His love] He chose us in Christ [actually selected us for Himself as His own] before the foundation of the world, so that we would be holy [that is, consecrated, set apart for Him, purpose-driven] and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined and lovingly planned for us to be adopted to Himself as [His own] children through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the kind intention and good pleasure of His will— to the praise of His glorious grace and favour, which He so freely bestowed on us in the Beloved [His Son, Jesus Christ].”
Then in Genesis 1:26 we see God putting His plan into action as He declares, "Let us make man in our image." This is not a lonely God making subjects to rule. Rather, it is a beautiful family of Father, Son and Holy Spirit who "lovingly planned" that we become part of this endlessly loving and giving family.
Around 6 years ago my wife and I were talking about starting a family. We had been married for about four years and I remember saying "I love what we have so much, wouldn’t it be amazing to bring a child into this, so that we could share this love with them." Two kids later and we now share that deep love and connection with them. Well sort of ‘share it’. In reality our love is multiplied, not divided, as we share it with our family. The love we had to give grew, as our family grew. This is true of God too. There is always enough of His love for all the world to be included into His loving family.
I believe the heart of God is not just to fix what is broken but, at the heart of the persons of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, there is family. The invitation to the table captures that heart well.
I love that as God invites us to Himself - He pursues us.
From "Come to me all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" (Matt 11:28), to "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me." (Rev 3:20)
The invitation of the Father is beautiful and intimate. It is simultaneously for you and for everyone. It is not about the table but what the table represents: family, connection, togetherness, fun, freedom, home, hope and a place to belong and be loved.
He sees you.
He knows you.
And He invites you to "Come to the table". Will you come?
