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“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” Psalm 119:105   

There is a famous song lyric that states, “You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone.” As I reflect upon this statement, I don’t think I fully appreciated family dinners when my three children were younger. I don’t think I appreciated the intense negotiations over how many carrots needed to be consumed before leaving the table, the laughter that eventually caused milk to come out of someone’s nose, the ridiculous arguments revolving around “He’s looking at me”, or the powerful interrogations aimed at getting me to reveal the ingredients in my famous “Chicken Surprise.” (If I revealed my secrets, it would no longer be a surprise, and no one would have eaten it!)

For many years, our dinner table was animated, loud, opinionated, and, at times, chaotic as everyone gathered for a meal. It was also a safe place where problems and challenges were shared, and advice, encouragement, and empathy were offered.

As my children grow older, sports practices, games, dance lessons, jobs, and busy schedules sometimes interrupted our meals; as a result, one of the children would occasionally miss having dinner at the table. At the time, it seemed like no big deal because I just assumed that there would always be another family dinner the near future.

Then the college years began, and suddenly, that occasional empty chair became a much more painful and consistent vacancy. As our children grew into adulthood and began building lives of their own, the dinner table gradually shrank to just a party of two. It was then in the quiet that I realized just how precious those ordinary family dinners had truly been.

This past weekend, my daughter came home from Chicago, where she currently lives. As everyone gathered at our house last Friday night, I was reminded once again how much I love having my grown family return home for dinner. There is something so special about everyone gathering around the table…sharing stories, laughing, catching up on life, and simply being together again. Those moments that once seemed so ordinary have become some of the moments I dearly treasure.

This weekend, St. Matthew Lutheran Church is beginning a new sermon series entitled, “Invite Jesus To Dinner”.  What if, along with gathering our families around the table, we intentionally invited Jesus to join us? What if our dinner tables became places where we not only shared a meal, but also shared our faith with one another?

Family devotions are a wonderful way to do just that! Please know that family devotions don’t have to be complicated! They can be as simple as gathering around the table, reading a short Bible passage, talking about what God is teaching us, sharing something we are thankful for, and praying together.

Most importantly, family devotions can be fun! They provide an opportunity to slow down, connect with one another, laugh together, ask questions, and grow in faith as a family. These moments may seem small, but they can create lasting memories and spiritual practices.  

To help your family get started, each school, congregational, and Hearts and Hands family will receive a family devotion book to use at home. This resource will provide simple and engaging devotions that families can enjoy together. The right side of the page is a devotional written for families with young children to read and discuss. The left side of the book is geared for adolescents/adult readers. Our hope is that this devotional book will make it easy and enjoyable to spend a few intentional moments with Jesus as a family.

So, the next time you gather around your dinner table, pull up an extra chair, pass the potatoes, and invite Jesus to dinner! Let’s make our tables places filled with good food, laughter, discussions, prayer, and the love of Jesus.

Bon appétit!

Mrs. Palka