I sat in the living room early on a quiet morning, with a
cup of tea, and looked out upon a tranquil neighborhood bathed in bright
sunshine and thought, “it appears that all is well.” But looks can be deceptive.
I had also just picked up the morning paper. It told a different story – a
story of over ½ million deaths from Covid 19, of thousands who have lost their
jobs, a murderer was killed by the police in a standoff, a governor who is
accused of sexual assault and a cover-up of Covid 19 deaths. There are threats
of domestic terrorism, political deadlock, a pending ecological disaster and
protestors being gassed. You get the idea. It’s a jungle, a wild wilderness out
there and we must travel through it.
It’s enough to make us question God. Israel certainly
did. They were in the wilderness of Sinai, weary, frightened, hungry and
thirsty. In their desperation, says Psalm 78:19, “They spoke against God,
saying, ‘Can God spread a table in the wilderness?’” They were asking, can
God give us the nourishment we need to survive in this environment? Can God
really produce a sense of hope and promise in the midst of such a depressing,
mind-boggling situation?
Yes, said the psalmist, he can and he did. Psalm 78
reviews their history in the wilderness and asserts: “He commanded the skies
above and opened the doors of heaven; and he rained down upon them manna to
eat, and gave them the grain of heaven. They ate the bread of the angels; he
sent them food in abundance” (Ps, 78:23-25),
Can God spread a table in our wilderness? John’s story in
chapter six says he can. A few days after feeding the 5,000 in a “secluded”
and “desolate” place (Mk. 6:32,35), Jesus was found again, as John tells
us, by a large crowd (Jn 6:25). When some, seeking more bread, spoke of Israel being
given manna in the wilderness they quoted Ps 78:24 which says, “He gave them
bread out of heaven to eat.” Jesus responded, “It is not Moses who has given
you the bread out of heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread
out of heaven. For the bread of God is that which … gives life to the world.” When
the people said, “Lord, evermore give us this bread,” Jesus replied: I am the
bread of life; he who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me
shall never thirst” (Jn 6:31-35).
The Lord’s Supper reminds us that God can spread a table
for us in the wilderness. Jesus is our Table in the Wilderness. He is our bread
of life. As he said, “this bread is my body, given for you.” And this cup is my
blood shed for you.” He is our table in the wilderness.
A communion hymn invites us to that table with these
words:
All who hunger, gather gladly; Holy Manna is our
bread.
Come from wilderness and wandering. Here in truth we
will be fed.
You that yearn for days of fullness, all around us is
our food.
Taste and see the grace eternal. Taste and see that
God is good.
(Sylvia Dunstan, 1990; Chalice Hymnal, 419)
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