After reading my post yesterday, some have asked to learn more about hospitality.
We can’t be hospitable without cooking and preparing meals. The biggest part of hospitality is feeding people! Therefore, we need to get the right attitude about feeding our own family, so we’ll have the right attitude to feed extra people around our table.
Some women think that cooking is a lowly job. They would rather do something far more important. However, we learn a big lesson from the life of Jesus. After He rose from the dead He wanted to spend some time with His disciples.
He knew where he’d find them. Down at the lake fishing as usual. He knew they’d be tired and hungry, so He decided to make a fire of coals on the shore and cook some fish and bread for them. He ministered to their immediate needs by cooking a meal.
But just a minute. Who was this person cooking? It was Jesus, the One who had just risen from the dead, the One who had conquered death and hell, the One who was King of kings and Lord of lords. What was he doing? Cooking! Did you get it? He was cooking! Jesus knew that real fellowship happens over a meal. No one wants to share their heart when they are hungry and desperate to eat. When we feed people, it prepares the way for deeper fellowship and ministering into their spirit.
After Jesus spent time sharing with His disciples, He also had a very special word to give to Peter. He didn’t grab Peter as he came out of the water, wet and hungry, and say, "Pete, come here, I’ve got a word for you.” No, he gave him breakfast first. They talked and fellowshipped. After he was satisfied and relaxed, Jesus spoke to him: “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” Three times he asked this question of Peter. Three times He gave him a divine mandate for his future ministry - “Feed My lambs . . . Feed My sheep . . . Feed My sheep.”
This only happened after Jesus had cooked for him and served him.
I love this account too in 1 Kings 19:4-8 where God sends an angel to minister to Elijah. The angel (which could be an appearance of Jesus Himself) makes a fire of coals and bakes a cake for him to eat. This is our God! Cooking another meal!
Whose footsteps are we following?
Love from Nancy Campbell
I love this picture of Jesus preparing the food for His disciples. i have it on my desk top in front of me.