DO YOU SIT DOWN TO EAT?

"He (Jesus) said to his disciples, Make them sit down by fifties in a
company. And they did so, and made them all sit down"
(Luke 9:14, 15).

Yesterday we talked about having order at our table. Part of keeping order at the table is training our children to sit at the table. Often, that is easier said than done! It takes training. Everything to do with raising children is training, isn't it? Mother, you are a trainer, among the 101 other things you do as a professional mother.

Let's read some examples from the Bible. In 1 Samuel 20 we read the story of King Saul being was jealous of David and wanting to kill him. David and Jonathan made a plan that David would not come to the meal table and wait to see what King Saul would do.

That night the king sat down to eat. Let's see how they sat at their meal table. 1 Samuel 20:25 (NET) says: "The king sat down in his usual place by the wall, with Jonathan opposite him and Abner at Saul's side. But David's place was vacant." Do you notice how everyone had their assigned seats? I think this can be a good thing. Often, we let our children sit anywhere at the table, but sometimes that can end in fights because one wants to sit on a certain seat and another sibling is vying for that seat.

We notice also that they sat down for their meal. We notice too that each person was expected to be at the table for the evening meal. Verse 20 says: "The second day, David's place was still vacant. So Saul said to his son Jonathan, 'Why has Jesse's son not come to the meal yesterday or today?'"

We go to the New Testament and read the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000 men, plus others. We notice that before Jesus gave thanks to His Father and fed this multitude, He first "commanded them to make all sit down by companies upon the green grass. And they sat down in ranks" (Mark 6:39, 40).

Matthew and Mark both used the word "commanded." Mark, Luke, and John use the words "make them sit down . . ." I am sure that took some doing with all those thousands of people. But Jesus would not feed the people until they were seated, and seated in companies, not just "any old how."

Do you notice that He told them to "make them sit down"? Do you have to do this at your table? You have to make your children sit down! Don't despair. You're being very biblical! But as we teach them when they are little, they learn the habit.

And it is a good habit. When you eat standing or walking around you are usually doing something else at the same time and don't really remember that you've eaten. You may become hungrier sooner. And it is scientifically proved that you don't receive the same nutrition from your food when walking around. God intends us to sit and eat.

One of the main reasons that God intends us to sit while we eat is because eating is more than consuming food. God wants us to eat and fellowship. To sit down together and dialogue and communicate. As we do this, we receive more nutritional value from our food. Standing while eating leads to decreased digestion and nutrient absorption.

Jesus made time to leisurely eat with his disciples. In Mark 6:31 we read: "And he (Jesus) said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat." Jesus showed his disciples the example of taking time to eat, even in the midst of the crowds clamoring for Him. Eating is leisure time.

This truth is important in the spiritual as well as the physical. We do not receive from the Lord when we try to get something from Him in a rush. If you want to hear from God, you have to give unhurried time. We must sit to receive, just as Mary "sat at Jesus' feet and heard his word" (Luke 10:39).

Blessings to you today, Nancy Campbell

PRAYER:
"Thank you, dear Father, for showing me in Your Word, that You love us to sit down for our meals> you have planned for the best way for us to enjoy our food. Please give me wisdom and help me to establish this principle in my home. Amen."

AFFIRMATION:
We are learning to sit together as a family to enjoy our meals.