Every Word - One Minute Devotionals

  by John Bradshaw

Real Food

by Mike Tucker *

During the bombing raids of World War II, thousands of children were orphaned and left to starve. After experiencing the fright of abandonment, many of these children were rescued and sent to refugee camps where they received food and shelter. Yet even in the presence of good care, they had experienced so much loss that many of them could not sleep at night. They were terrified that they would awake to find themselves once again homeless and hungry. Nothing the adults did seemed to reassure them, until someone thought to send a child to bed with a loaf of bread. Holding onto bread, the children were able to sleep. If they woke up frightened in the night, the bread seemed to remind them, "I ate today, and I will eat again tomorrow."

Heaven is a feast, and God is the One preparing it. The image of the banquet is central to our communing with God. The table is intricately connected with the faith Christians profess in remembrance of the one they follow. The ministry of Christ and the call of God is resounding and specific: "Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find." (Matthew 22:9)

The images of banquet, feast, and table are intended to bring something powerful to mind. The psalmist writes, "The poor will eat and be satisfied... All the rich of the earth will feast and worship!" (Psalm 22:26, 29). 

Your presence is requested at the banquet. You are invited to the feast. We celebrate a foretaste of that Heavenly banquet when we participate in a communion service.

On the night Jesus was betrayed, he took bread and broke it and gave it to those he loved. Holding onto Him, like children with bread, we are given peace in uncertainty, mercy in brokenness, something solid when all is lost. In His severe mercy, we are all invited to the table: Come, take and eat.

With love,
Mike

*   Mike Tucker is speaker emeritus of Faith for Today. 
Article used by permission
Faith Moment    November 16, 2015 

For more Faith Moments with Mike  Tucker:   click HERE.

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March  2020
Welcome to our friends visiting here from all over the world !
Below are 15 of the countries (listed alphabetically) that
visited LovingHope.com in March through March 28, 2020:

1-5:        Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Brazil, Fiji,

6-10:     Japan, Kenya, Nigeria, Slovenia,  Solomon Islands, 

11-15:     South Africa, St. Lucia, Turkey, United States, Zimbabwe

February  2020
Below are 16 of the countries (listed alphabetically) that
visited LovingHope.com in  February, 2020:

1-5:       Australia, Austria, Belarus, Canada, Denmark,

6-10:    Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Kenya, 

11-15:    Russia, South Africa, Turkey, United States,  Zambia,

16:           Zimbabwe

January  2020
Below are 5 of the countries (listed alphabetically) that
visited LovingHope.com in January, 2020:

1-5:     Canada, India, Philippines, United Kingdom, United States

December 2019
Below are 9 of the countries (listed alphabetically) that
visited LovingHope.com in December, 2019:

1-5:    Bangladesh, Canada, India, Nigeria, Philippines, 

6-9:    St. Kitts & Nevis, Trinidad & Tobago, United States, Zimbabwe

November 2019
Below are 11 of the countries (listed alphabetically) that
visited LovingHope.com in November, 2019:

1-5:       Bahamas, Cayman Islands, France, Germany, India, 

6-10:    Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, South Africa,

11:           United States

October 2019
Below are 13 of the countries (listed alphabetically) that
visited LovingHope.com in October, 2019:

1-5:       Australia, Canada, France, Honduras, India, 

6-10:    Kenya, Philippines, South Africa, Turkey, Uganda, United Kingdom, 

11-13:    United Kingdom,  United States, Zambia

September 2019
Below are 11 of the countries (listed alphabetically) that
visited LovingHope.com in September, 2019:

1-5:    Austria, Canada, Ghana, Greece, Japan,

6-10:  Portugal, South Africa, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States,

11:         Zambia

August  2019
Below are 14 of the countries (listed alphabetically) that
visited LovingHope.com in August, 2019:

1-5:      Australia, Bermuda, Canada, China, Greece, 

6-10:    India, Jamaica, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines,

11-14:   South Africa, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States

July 2019
Below are 9 of the countries (listed alphabetically) that
visited LovingHope.com in July, 2019:

1-5:      Bahamas, China, Czechia, India, Japan,

6-9:     Kenya, Netherlands, South Africa, United States
 

June  2019
Below are 11 of the countries (listed alphabetically) that
visited LovingHope.com in June, 2019:

1-5:      Australia,  Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, 

6-10:   Indonesia, Kenya, Philippines, United Arab Emirates, United States,

11:          Zimbabwe
 

May  2019
Below are 10 of the countries (listed alphabetically) that
visited LovingHope.com in May, 2019:

1-5:      Canada, Guyana, Italy, Jamaica, Malaysia,

6-10:   Philippines, Poland, South Africa, United Kingdom, United States

April  2019
Below are 12 of the countries (listed alphabetically) that
visited LovingHope.com in April, 2019:

1-5:      Australia, Brazil, Canada, India, Italy,

6-10:   Romania, St. Kitts & Nevis, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, USA, 

11-12:   Venezuela, Zambia
 

March  2019
Below are 10 of the countries (listed alphabetically) that
visited LovingHope.com in March, 2019:

1-5:       Bahamas, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany,

6-10:    Hong Kong, Kenya, Lesotho, Netherlands, United States