Meals That Minister

They brought sleeping mats, cooking pots, serving bowls, wheat and barley, flour and roasted grain, beans, lentils, honey, butter, sheep, goats, and cheese for David and those who were with him. For they said, “You must all be very hungry and tired and thirsty after your long march through the wilderness.”

2 Samuel 17:28-29

In this story in 2 Samuel, King David was camping in the land of Gilead with some of his men, fleeing from his traitorous son, Absalom, who was trying to kill him. I imagine they were exhausted, and then, seemingly out of nowhere, God fed them by way of some kind people. It is a biblical example of how food can really minister to people.

Thousands of years have passed since King David’s day, but we can still minister to others by providing the sustenance of a meal, whether someone is stranded in the desert of distress and grief or has a reason to celebrate!

Even if we haven’t been camping or fleeing danger, we have all experienced hunger and thirst. I wonder sometimes if we women hold back ministering to people with food because we think we have to prepare a five-course meal.

As I read today’s verses, God brought to mind women who have ministered to me and my family in this unique way, by providing their own special food: Sweet Sue’s cinnamon bread, Sweet Debbie’s soup, carrot juice from Joyful Jamie . . . what a wonderful way to try new things! Even a peanut butter sandwich tastes better to me if someone else has spread the peanut butter across the bread!

Sometimes I go to a popular pizza place and buy gift certificates. I ask for small delivery boxes and four napkins for each box to use as “tissue” paper. I wrap a gift certificate in each cardboard box and enclose a menu, a love note, or a card, then mail it to a family so they can enjoy a pizza night together. Each time I send one, I pretend I am delivering it to Jesus!

Let’s feed this thought as God prompts us. Providing a meal or a sweet surprise is one tried-and-true way to minister to others, whether it’s a home-cooked dish, a take-out special, a bag of fresh fruit from the local farmer’s market, or sweet candy.