A Place At The Table

There is a scene in the movie version of Charles Dicken’s ‘A Christmas Carol’, the one starring Alastair Sim, where the 3rd spirit has transported Ebenezer Scrooge into the future and they are listening to a couple of fellow merchants discuss his death the previous night. He hasn’t yet clued in that it is his own passing that they are talking about, but then he looks over to a particular spot and says something like… “That’s strange! At this time of the day I should be right over there. See there is my place right beside the clock?”

I thought of this scene last week. We had traveled to a monthly pastor’s gathering in Sackville NB. Where we meet, we gather around a large table with about 20 chairs. The classic scene came to my mind as I made my way to my seat upon arrival, the same chair I gravitate to each time we get together. It is admittedly strange behaviour but for some strange reason I find myself feeling attached to that particular spot. It’s almost as if it belongs to me. Now, I know that, on the one hand, we should not get possessive of a particular chair (or pew) like that, but on the other hand, it kind of feels right to have my own place. In a way that I don’t really understand, it speaks to a deep sense of belonging, a sense of identity and self-worth somehow; that we have a place in the world; a place at the table so to speak.

The experience got me thinking about how God meets this need for us. The Bible teaches that we who hope in Christ (and only those who have accepted the invitation to come to Him in this way) have the assurance that our names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life and that God is preparing a great feast and that we have a place waiting for us at that table! Think about that! A place at the table – His table!!!

When Jesus met with His disciples for the Last Supper, in Luke’s account the actual drinking from the cup and eating of the bread is preceded by these words… “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.’” (Luke 22:14-16)

When He was preparing to leave this world, Jesus said, “I am going to prepare a place for you.” (Jn 14:2) And He wasn’t just talking about the 12 either because on another occasion He had said, “People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God.” (Luke 13:29)

Now, it’s one thing to have a place in this world. It’s quite something else to be assured of a place in Christ’s kingdom! In fact, quite often our place in this world seems pretty insecure. It can disappear in an instant through the result of our own sin or someone else’s. We can easily be neglected, even be it unintentionally. Or we can be marginalized. Mistakes are made. And how often do we find ourselves, in one way or another, in this world, standing outside looking in. And of course, some day our place in this world will be no more, just like Ebenezer Scrooge.

But have you ever looked at an artist’s conception of the Wedding Feast of the Lamb and thought how one of those spaces has your name on it?!!! Think of it; a place reserved specifically for you personally at that Table!!! Is that not just the greatest thing you can imagine! I know it blows my mind!!!