Today’s scripture: Isaiah 55:1-5 (The Message)

1-5 “Hey there! All who are thirsty,
come to the water!
Are you penniless?
Come anyway—buy and eat!
Come, buy your drinks, buy wine and milk.
Buy without money—everything’s free!
Why do you spend your money on junk food,
your hard-earned cash on cotton candy?
Listen to me, listen well: Eat only the best,
fill yourself with only the finest.
Pay attention, come close now,
listen carefully to my life-giving, life-nourishing words.
I’m making a lasting covenant commitment with you,
the same that I made with David: sure, solid, enduring love.
I set him up as a witness to the nations,
made him a prince and leader of the nations,
And now I’m doing it to you:
You’ll summon nations you’ve never heard of,
and nations who’ve never heard of you
will come running to you
Because of me, your God,
because The Holy of Israel has honored you.”

Today at the CoOp during this third Sunday we will be talking about feasting.  We are definitely in the season of feasting.  This is the highlight of the holidays for many.  We get to have our favorite foods and we eat them around a table with people we love many times.  In our family, we are trying to figure all of this feasting out as my family changes.  How will we incorporate a new kind of potato?  Will we still have that green bean casserole stuff?  Who will make the pies?  Who will create this or that?  Can we introduce wine to the table?

So many questions about what the feast will look like!  Isaiah presents us with a picture of God setting that table and with all of these things that come without cost to us.  How can that be?  God will lay out the best of foods and wine. It will be a joyous occasion open to everyone.

I even tried to find the clip this morning of the ending feast of How the Grinch Stole Christmas.  You may just have to watch the whole 30 minutes of original cartoon goodness.  Go find it sometime today to remind yourself of a classic.  I have this image at the end of the grand feast where the carve up the roast beast.  They include the Grinch even though he was the one who bamboozled them.  They even let him participate in giving food out, singing along, and celebrating to the full extent.  He has been totally included.

This morning this is what I imagine this feast will look like…when we have all returned from exile…and everyone is included at the table.  What a celebration! Part of Advent is celebrating!  Gathering all in to sing together, eat together, spend hours together.  And when Christmas comes, it is meant to be a great celebration for God has come into the world.  All are included!

Today do a little feasting.  Gather with people and sing out.  Enjoy the day where God has included you without price!

Peace,

Courtney