The Dining Hall
He threw open the Door and let me in.
"What a grand welcome for a peasant girl like me." I thought to myself. He didn't seem to see me, though, as the poor gal that was just begging for bread on the streets just moments before. He acted like He already knew me and I was no poor gal at all. With an overflowing excitement, He put His arm around me and ushered me straight to His Dinner Table.
"You must be starved." He said with a smile and a twinkle in His eye that never seemed to fade. "I only serve the best to all who come in. So I'm sure you'll enjoy it all. Help yourself to anything that fancies you. And if we eat everything on the Table, I'll simply bring out more. So don't hold back!"
My eyes could barely take it all in as I looked down the unusually long Table. It was a feast for a thousand, but we were the only two at the Table. He could tell I was taken back by the huge spread and said, "Don't worry. Nothing will be wasted. My Food isn't perishable because it has Life inside itself. Eat up!"
I lifted my spoon (that actually seemed to lift itself toward me) and reached for what looked like pudding. My first mouthful brought a sort of unexplainable, instant relief. It felt like it was the first time I had ever tasted actual, real food. By my second spoonful, I was convinced of it. I had never eaten anything like this. It was like this Food was what I was created to eat. How did I live without it for so long?
Taking His advice, I dug right in. I couldn't always identify each item of Food I picked up. The ingredients didn't look like anything I had ever seen grown in any garden. They were unique, like something from another world.
He noticed how quickly I was eating and said with a smile,"You like it?"
With a mouthful of Food, I nodded vigorously as I shoved another mouthful in on top of what was already there.
And that's when He started to Laugh. Oh boy. And did He. It was a Laugh so loud that at first it made me jump and the table jolt. It was a Laugh that vibrated through my whole being. It was a Laugh that lasted longer than a normal laugh. It was more like waves of Laughter as it shook the atmosphere around us and sent electric shock waves through my heart as if I was under a defibrillator. Suddenly a rush of pure, unadulterated Joy pulsed in and out of my body. As He laughed even more, I could feel it bubbling inside me. At first it was subtle like butterflies in my stomach. But the more He laughed, the more it bubbled up in me. And it bubbled up...and up...and up...until suddenly I felt it lifting me. Yes, literally. It started lifting me out of my chair! Then the bubbling suddenly felt like rushing water springing up from inside me and it caused me to rise upward until I felt as if I was being balanced on top of a huge geyser! I looked over and saw His eyes were bright and beautiful, full of Love for me. I knew in that moment just how much He truly adores me. How elated beyond words He was to have me at His table! He took my hand and laughed even louder! And then I began to laugh! His Laughter became my laughter! And there we both sat just laughing and eating and laughing and eating for what seemed like moments but what was really probably hours.
"I have so much more to show you in my House!" He said through His bright smile. "Would you like the full tour?"
"Oh yes!" I responded with a huge grin. "I can only imagine what's in store for me to see in Your House. If it is anything like this Dining Hall, I know I'm in for an amazing time!"
"There are many rooms and many adventures in each one! Come, I'll show you!" He said, as He swept me down the long Hallway that led deeper into His Home, His Joy, His Heart.
"What a grand welcome for a peasant girl like me." I thought to myself. He didn't seem to see me, though, as the poor gal that was just begging for bread on the streets just moments before. He acted like He already knew me and I was no poor gal at all. With an overflowing excitement, He put His arm around me and ushered me straight to His Dinner Table.
"You must be starved." He said with a smile and a twinkle in His eye that never seemed to fade. "I only serve the best to all who come in. So I'm sure you'll enjoy it all. Help yourself to anything that fancies you. And if we eat everything on the Table, I'll simply bring out more. So don't hold back!"
My eyes could barely take it all in as I looked down the unusually long Table. It was a feast for a thousand, but we were the only two at the Table. He could tell I was taken back by the huge spread and said, "Don't worry. Nothing will be wasted. My Food isn't perishable because it has Life inside itself. Eat up!"
I lifted my spoon (that actually seemed to lift itself toward me) and reached for what looked like pudding. My first mouthful brought a sort of unexplainable, instant relief. It felt like it was the first time I had ever tasted actual, real food. By my second spoonful, I was convinced of it. I had never eaten anything like this. It was like this Food was what I was created to eat. How did I live without it for so long?
Taking His advice, I dug right in. I couldn't always identify each item of Food I picked up. The ingredients didn't look like anything I had ever seen grown in any garden. They were unique, like something from another world.
He noticed how quickly I was eating and said with a smile,"You like it?"
With a mouthful of Food, I nodded vigorously as I shoved another mouthful in on top of what was already there.
And that's when He started to Laugh. Oh boy. And did He. It was a Laugh so loud that at first it made me jump and the table jolt. It was a Laugh that vibrated through my whole being. It was a Laugh that lasted longer than a normal laugh. It was more like waves of Laughter as it shook the atmosphere around us and sent electric shock waves through my heart as if I was under a defibrillator. Suddenly a rush of pure, unadulterated Joy pulsed in and out of my body. As He laughed even more, I could feel it bubbling inside me. At first it was subtle like butterflies in my stomach. But the more He laughed, the more it bubbled up in me. And it bubbled up...and up...and up...until suddenly I felt it lifting me. Yes, literally. It started lifting me out of my chair! Then the bubbling suddenly felt like rushing water springing up from inside me and it caused me to rise upward until I felt as if I was being balanced on top of a huge geyser! I looked over and saw His eyes were bright and beautiful, full of Love for me. I knew in that moment just how much He truly adores me. How elated beyond words He was to have me at His table! He took my hand and laughed even louder! And then I began to laugh! His Laughter became my laughter! And there we both sat just laughing and eating and laughing and eating for what seemed like moments but what was really probably hours.
"I have so much more to show you in my House!" He said through His bright smile. "Would you like the full tour?"
"Oh yes!" I responded with a huge grin. "I can only imagine what's in store for me to see in Your House. If it is anything like this Dining Hall, I know I'm in for an amazing time!"
"There are many rooms and many adventures in each one! Come, I'll show you!" He said, as He swept me down the long Hallway that led deeper into His Home, His Joy, His Heart.
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