Dinner Guests

I invited special friends to dinner this week and then I began getting the house spruced up, decided on the menu and then shopped for the items I was out of. I spent most of the day cooking, setting a special table and making sure all was ready for my dinner party. We had a delightful evening of spirited conversation, laughter and just enjoying this special time together. The food was delicious and everyone ate heartily and after the guests left, I sat down to reflect if it all had been worth it! My feet hurt from being on them all day and I was tired! My answer was a resounding yes, for it is my way of showing special friends that I really do value their friendship and enjoy being with them. I also reflected on Jesus and his friends, the apostles. He had a "Last Supper" with them before he was crucified. All of the paintings I have seen of this scene depict an enjoyable time together as the apostles didn't know that it was to be their last meal together. Jesus also cooked for them after he rose from the dead. After they fished all night and came ashore a man was standing over a fire cooking fish for them. They didn't recognize him at first but in the breaking of the bread their eyes were opened.
Putting your best foot forward and putting on a good meal for friends is one of my ways of using the gift of hospitality the Lord gives. I realize it would also be good to go out into the highways and byways and invite in the lost and forsaken, but I don't want to neglect my friends either. So I feel there is a way to accomplish both, however in this day I would find another means of helping the lost and forsaken as I don't feel it would be safe to have them to my home.
Have you cooked a good meal and shared it with friends lately?