My grandma’s cheesy potatoes, my mom’s Christmas jello, the frosted sugar cookies that I make with my sisters. Is it wrong that my first response to the question “What do I love most about the holidays?” is entirely food?
I could blame the fact that I’m pregnant, but that would just be an excuse. I just love food. I would say I’m a foodie, but I’m not that either. There is nothing sophisticated about my palette. Give me all the homemade, midwestern, butter-filled carbs and you will catch me digging every bite with a subtle happy dance. I know I am not alone in this.
Does anyone else find a curious joy around the human love for food? God didn’t need to make us with taste preferences nor did he need to allow certain foods to taste as good as they do. But He did! He blessed us with the decadence of foods like gravy and fudge (or **insert your favorite food here**) and He allows us to delight in them!
Throughout the Bible, we see God allow, and even encourage, us to take joy in food! In the Old Testament, God commands His people to celebrate in feasts rich with the delicacies of the time. The Promised Land that Moses and the Israelites spent their whole lives journeying toward was described as flowing with “milk and honey”( Exodus 3:17). David’s psalms are marked with references of food. Most notably, he writes, “Taste and see the goodness of the Lord,” Psalm 34:8.
While I can’t speak to why God allows what he does, I am not surprised that God’s lavish generosity meets us even here. It is a lot like our God to bless us with joys beyond our needs. He is a kind and generous Father.
I wonder if God gifts us with a sense of joy in food, in part, because food often brings us together. Many of my fondest holiday memories with my loved ones are found in messy kitchens with warm ovens or around crowded tables with a full belly. There is a togetherness that is often attached with a tasty meal.
Jesus embraced this togetherness. Jesus was frequently found sharing meals with His followers. Even after His resurrection, He found time for breakfast with His disciples. John 21:12 states, “Jesus says ‘come and have breakfast’”( Is it wrong to say that this is one of my favorite verses?). Jesus seemed to love spending time with His disciples around a dining table (or however they ate in the first century).
This is no surprise, either! There is a “with-ness” that is core to Who Jesus is. When He was conceived, Jesus was called “Immanuel,” which means “God with us” (Matthew 1:23). God’s decision to take on flesh communicates a desire to be with us. Even in the end, shortly before He ascended into heaven, Jesus tells us, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).
As we celebrate God “with us” this Christmas and as you have time to be with your loved ones throughout the holiday season, let us embrace the lavish gift of tasty food and time spent around the table.
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