We are in the middle of a series on spiritual practices at my church, and one of the practices I got to teach on was feasting. You can watch it here.

Feasting is a spiritual practice that we don’t talk about very often, but as we look at the life of Jesus, we know that Jesus spent a lot of time at meals and feasts. New Testament scholar Robert Karris said, ‘In Luke’s Gospel Jesus is either going to a meal, at a meal or coming from a meal.’ Feasting is all over the Bible. There are feasts throughout the Old Testament. The bible ends in a fantastic feast. Jesus spent so much time at feasts. Jesus’ first miracle recorded in the Bible in Luke 2, took place at a party!

In his book The Possibility of Prayer: Finding Stillness with God in a Restless World, Pastor John Starke said, “the Bible entices its readers with visions of feasts and suppers more than instructions about fasting.” So, as we practice the practice of feasting, remember, For Jesus, feasting was not just about enjoyment but also about one of the ways he fulfilled God’s mission. 

If the spiritual practice of feasting is new to you, one resource that has helped Katie and me is The Lifegiving Table: Nurturing Faith through Feasting, One Meal at a Time.

Here are some ideas on how to practice feasting and to enjoy God’s gifts of food and presence:

• Plan it. What will you eat, what music will you play, who will be there? How will you make sure people are present to themselves, God, and each other? How will you make sure you are present to yourself? 
• Determine what matters for you. Will you cook? What will you listen to? Our family sometimes cooks a feast, and sometimes we get pizza. But what we always do is sit at our table, light candles, listen to records and make a giant cookie. Those are anchors for our feast. 
• Don’t have your phone at the table. Have a box where people stick their phones so everyone can be present at the feast. 
• Make this a regular practice and schedule it at least once a month. I’d encourage you to do this weekly but start small. 
• Take a nap the afternoon before a feast, and don’t eat as much that day so you can indulge and enjoy without guilt. 
• Use conversation cards. We use these from the Orange, which is our kids’ curriculum. They have questions like: Which person at the table is most likely to break a world record and in what? What was your favorite toy as a kid? Fun things that draw us together. Here are different cards for you to get depending on who will be there: Adult conversation cards Family conversation cards.
• List out things you are grateful for from this past week. 
• Have a meal with someone who doesn’t know Jesus and listen to their story. 
• Laugh. Laughter is such a gift from God. God is a God of joy. 

Lastly, remember Christ is present. When we feast, we enact what Jesus spent most of his life doing, being with people, enjoying God’s good gifts. When our family feasts, we light candles to remind us of the presence of Jesus, that he is the light of the world and our lives, and he is with us. 

We are also experiencing a taste of eternity. We are told in Revelation that one day, the followers of Jesus will be at the feast of the Lamb, the feast of Jesus. 

Feasting is a rhythm that grounds us in celebration and thanksgiving. It also prepares us for heaven. It is a time to stop each week, to pause and reflect on God’s goodness to us, to relate to each other, and enjoy life.