The Divine Host

By Ken Barrows

There is language that no longer describes how I understand God. Such phrases as “King of Kings” and “Lord of Lords” once moved me in worship, but no longer. Instead I am moved by words and phrases like “Creator,” “Sustainer,” “Nurturer,” and “The One Who Loves in Freedom.” I am also moved when I think of the Divine as one who invites me to share a meal in God’s presence—the divine Host. The Communion service nurtures my soul in a profound way.

I am nurtured for all the reasons commonly associated with the Communion service: remembering, renewing, forgiving, and being forgiven. But I am especially nurtured when I realize that I, who am “other” than God, have been invited to share at the table with God as a welcomed member of a sacred community. The One who created me invites me to be present, to eat and drink, to share in the table fellowship as a full member of God’s family. I am not pushed off, nor am I asked to take my meal in another part of the house, removed from the host. Instead, I am given a place at the table and am welcomed there. This gift of divine hospitality restores my soul.

Over the years I have had opportunity to preside at many Communion services. During that time I came to understand that it was not my meal, but rather God’s meal. I was acting as guest host for the One who called all of us to come, eat, and be filled. The symbolism here is rich: God allowed me to host this meal in which all were invited to come and participate, to come and be welcomed, to come and find rest—a home, a place of comfort and care. I was privileged to extend the hand of hospitality to all who came, and to refuse none, just as God has not refused us, just as God has not refused me—one whose life is not what it could be or should be or might have been; one who has both strength and weakness, insight and blindness, hope and despair; one both faithful and unfaithful.

God has not refused to meet me at this sacred table. God has never pulled away the spiritual plate of blessing and renewal, of forgiveness and acceptance, of love divine. When I reflect on this, my heart is filled with compassion for others. I want them to know such joy, such tender embrace and genuine hospitality.

In my ministry, I have the privilege of being in homes and congregations on a regular basis. Everywhere, people have extended hospitality to me. They have fed me and cared for me in ways that have sustained me in my ministry. Seldom do I have opportunity to return this gift of hospitality to them. The Communion service has become for me that place where, on God’s behalf, I can invite all to come to the table, where I can extend the bread and wine to others, just as God has extended it to me. I do not do this in arrogance or pride, but with a deep and profound awareness that it is a divine meal extended to us by a divine host who created us, continues moment by moment to sustain us, and who chooses to abide with us as we struggle together to resolve the issues and achieve the potential that is before us.

"O Lord, how can it be that I may come to eat with thee….” God invites me to come and eat. God invites you to come and eat; to share in this meal of renewal, of remembering, of forgiving and of being forgiven; this meal of being present with God and with each other. “… then with heart full free I reach my hand to eat with thee, in oneness with my God.”