On this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples…the best of meats and the finest of wines. Isaiah 25:6
For All
In the world of fine dining, few writers have been more influential than restaurant reviewer Ruth Reichl. She is so respected that a single restaurant review from her can make or break a restaurant.
Her most famous review was written in 1993 for a high-end dining establishment in New York. Because the restaurant community knew her well, however, Ruth decided to go in disguise. Instead of a sophisticated New Yorker, she dressed in a modest coat and went by the name “Molly.”
“Molly” quickly found out what the restaurant thought of her. The staff ignored her. Then they made her wait for an hour. Finally, they seated her at a table right next to the coat rack. And her meal? It was cold and bland. A few nights later, Ruth went to the same restaurant, only this time she went as herself. And, of course, this time she received the royal treatment—truffles, champagne, the best of culinary mastery; and no coat rack.
Armed with these two radically different experiences, Ruth Reichl wrote her review, and she did not hold back. She made clear the painful fact that the staff did not wish to serve everyone with the same level of excellence; that if you were not the right kind of person, this restaurant was not going to give you its best.
In Isaiah chapter 25, God the Holy Spirit communicates that our delivery from sin is not just a doctrinal bullet point; it is an event for us to savor. He describes it as an exquisite meal: “A feast of rich food,” he says— “the best of meats and the finest of wines.” In addition, the Lord makes clear that this joyful reunion with him is “for all peoples”—for all who trust in the promised Savior.
In this world, there will be times when we will feel ignored, dismissed, or out of place. But not in the great meal to come. There, in Christ, you belong.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you for securing a place for me at your banquet. Amen.
