July 11

Deuteronomy 12:7 draws back the veil that shrouds our eyes and keeps us from beholding the essence of God’s heart and reveals an aspect of Himself that we can hardly fathom. It says, “You shall eat before the Lord your God, and you shall rejoice in all to which you put your hand…”

This is amazing! This is heady stuff! The Lord says that we who believe shall eat before Him. Our word ‘companion’ reveals a lot about enjoying a meal with someone. Breaking it down, it means, ‘eating bread with friends.’ We eat with friends. Oh, yes, we dine in restaurants where we may not know those around us, but our table companions are our friends.

Our socializing is done with people with whom we’re close and that includes the people with whom we enjoy a repast. Our time is too precious to spend it dining in the company of those with whom we have nothing in common or for whom we have no feelings of respect or affection. That the Lord would eat with us shows us a clear picture of His loving heart for His people.

Beyond being One who joins us in breaking bread, He tells us in the intimacy of our fellowship with Him that we shall have cause to rejoice in all that our hand finds to do. He’s telling us that He intends to bless our labor with success. He knows that quiet fellowship at the table is pleasant, but He also knows much of our time is spent in pursuit of our daily bread. He will bless that pursuit!