Worship Is Hungry Work (1 Chronicles 16:2-3)

In addition to regular articles, I regularly post simple SOAP journals that are produced during gatherings of pastors and students to journal, pray, and encourage one another. These are not exhaustively studied as they are generally the work of 20 minutes of reading, 20 minutes of writing, and 20 minutes of sharing with each other what we have written. Hopefully, these brief devotional posts will be encouraging to the readers of this blog. If you are not familiar with the term, we use the SOAP acronym as a devotional guide... which stands for:

• Scripture—what verse or short section did the Spirit bring to my attention today? 
• Observation—what can I briefly notice that the passage specifically says?
• Application—what will I do differently as a result of having read this today?
• Prayer—what will I ask the Triune God to do for, in, and through me today?

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This post was written for a SOAP journaling group with seminary students from my recently completed Spiritual Formation course as we head into Thanksgiving week. To prepare, we read 1 Chronicles 16 and Matthew 15. This was my journal entry.

S = 1 Chronicles 16:2-3 

Photo by Mae Mu on Unsplash

And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord and distributed to all Israel, both men and women, to each a loaf of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins.

Photo by Chad Montano
on Unsplash

O = This time, when David brought the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom up to Jerusalem and put it in a tent (since the Lord would not let him build a house for it) he did so the right way (carried by consecrated priests) with tremendous sacrifices of thanksgiving and songs of worship. At the end of the relocation procession and installation ceremony, David offered a benediction to the people… a real benediction, not just his sermon points repackaged.

Photo by Andreas Haslinger
 on Unsplash

First, the people were blessed in the name of the Lord by their king. Second, David made that spoken blessing tangible by also giving everyone a balanced Thanksgiving meal — “each a loaf of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins.”  Third, such a connection between a spiritual blessing and the sharing of food was very “on-brand” for the name of the Lord. It is what he does. He feeds his followers.

I am encouraged to see a leader value his people and model giving (literally hosting) as part of his spiritual worship. He was not collecting resources and praise for himself but was giving away what he had to strengthen the people and empower them to celebrate without concern.

Interestingly, Matthew 15 has a strong meal motif that unites all of its sections, culminating in the miraculous feeding of the 4,000+ people he was healing and teaching. After all that, it is no surprise that “the Son of David” also gave the people a meal to eat.

Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion on the crowd because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And I am unwilling to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way.” 

…And directing the crowd to sit down on the ground, he took the seven loaves and the fish, and having given thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up seven baskets full of the broken pieces left over. (32,35-37)

Pixelized Last Supper Photo by
Lucas Hoang on Unsplash

A = It is instructive that there is a bond that comes when we share food. A strong sense of community can arise. Also, it is instructive to see holistic care shown for people across the testaments. David and Jesus knew something about the Father that led them to compassionately provide food for worshipers. God cares about our embodiedness not merely our spirits. I too should be sensitive to the needs of others. Also, I need to take time to enjoy eating with others.

P = Dear Jesus, you are a most wonderful Savior! Thank you for your consistent manifestation of the giving heart of the Father. Thank you for being faithful to meet our needs in times of plenty and scarcity alike. You not only meet our physical needs but are the source of our joy both now and forever! May we share your goodness with others this week!