“For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."
Matthew 18:20
The definition of gather is “come together; assemble or accumulate; or bring together and take in from scattered places or sources.” If I didn’t look this up myself, I would think this definition is describing AO – we have girls from all over (scattered places) that join and come together to sit at one table. All One Ministry has an entire goal of inviting ALL girls to sit at ONE table… to gather. In Luke 22:14-30, we read of the Passover (aka the Lord’s supper). When you look at the painting of the last supper by Leonardo Da Vinci, Jesus and the twelve apostles are sitting on one side of the table and the other side is open. This can be interpreted to show Jesus is inviting us to join him at the table. In this season with thanksgiving coming up, I think of gathering around the table with family.
How great is it that we are all invited to the table with Jesus to become part of the family of God?
Hosting thanksgiving, or any meal, party, or gathering, can be stressful. You have to find a day that works for everyone, cook the big meal, set the table, clean the house, etc. Jesus did all of that work already, He simply wants us to accept his invitation. As a host or trying to be a servant to Jesus, it’s easy to be a Martha in a Mary & Martha situation (Luke 10:38-42), making sure the house stays clean, trying to serve your guests, giving directions, etc. but it’s important to keep your eyes focused on Jesus. Jesus has prepared food and drink for us to fulfill our spiritual hunger and thirst (Matthew 5:6). He will join you at the table, and He will not leave the table.
We know that Jesus sits with sinners, and there is nobody besides Him that has not sinned – so why do we think He won’t sit with us?
At Thanksgiving dinner, we always go around the table and say something we are grateful for before we eat, which gives us a chance to review the year and be thankful for all the blessings we encountered. At the Last Supper, Jesus told his apostles that one of them would betray him, which gave them a chance to be vulnerable and self-examine. In the same manner, when we gather together to spend time with God, we should be vulnerable and self-examine the sin in our lives and learn how to grow closer to Him. We should also invite others to join the table. The last thing Jesus asked his disciples to do was to teach others about Him, so we should be willing to talk to anyone at any seat and at any table to invite them to sit at Jesus’s table.
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