Thursday, March 16, 2023
Mudhouse Sabbath by Lauren Winner
Lenten Devotional by Macy Kennedy
Sabbath in Eating
“The table is where we become present to God and God becomes present to us.” – Mudhouse Sabbath by Lauren Winner
Sabbath can be understood in a few ways. Sabbath is a time of rest, a time to be with God, a time without work, a time to enjoy God’s gifts. In the Christian context, our Sabbath day is Sunday, a time during the week to rest and be with God. As we lean into the theme of Sabbath for Lent, I encourage you to create moments of Sabbath time in your daily routine.
Jewish tradition involves eating attentively by keeping kosher. This involves rules of what can and can’t be eaten, where meat is slaughtered, how food is prepared, what dishes are used, etc. Keeping kosher turns the basic need of eating into a spiritual practice. We Christians are not bound to the rules of Jewish dietary law, but God still cares about our dietary choices. Being present with our food is being present with creation. Understanding our food can lead to more gratefulness for God’s good works and paying attention to what we eat will aid in better care for our bodies.
Sabbath in eating involves not only what we eat, but who we eat with. Lauren Winner says, “The table is where we become present to God and God becomes present to us.” God calls us to the table during Communion as a time to receive God and be in community together. The communal relationship seen at the Communion table can be extended to our daily meals. Meals are a time for relaxing and visiting together. When eating, we slowdown from our hectic day and simply enjoy the presence of those gathered around. The table gives us blessings from God’s creation and the gift of rest in community.
Prayer thoughts:
God of abundance, you make yourself known to us in the breaking of bread. You build community around the table and nourish our body with your good creation. Create little sanctuaries at our tables that give rest and renewal. Amen.
First Thoughts at First 
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