Dear Fellowship of the Burning Heart:

Psalms 23:5-6(ESV)
⁵    You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
⁶    Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

When entering the tabernacle, the priest would see the table of showbread to the right. On that table were placed twelve loaves of bread, a stack of six on one side and six on the other. Fresh loaves were prepared and added each Sabbath to the table and the old ones were removed and eaten by the priests. Also, a pitcher of wine was placed on the table.

The twelve loaves represented God’s provision for the twelve tribes of Israel. The scene brings to the Christian’s mind the Lord’s Table, the Communion Table, where we, just as the priests, are reminded of the Lord’s covenant and his provision for us.

Often in Scripture the picture of a banquet or table is given to remind us of God’s desire to fellowship with us. Most of us know that food and fellowship go together, so a table serves to bring us together in fellowship. It is amazing that the God of the universe desires fellowship with us. In the Garden of Eden, he fellowshipped with Adam and Eve in the cool of the evening, a special time of communion, I am sure. When covenants were made in the Old Testament, a covenantal meal was served. Abraham enjoyed fellowship with God and served a meal. David, in the Psalm referenced above, presents the blessings of fellowship with God and a longing to always abide in his presence. Someday, we will enjoy the “marriage supper of the Lamb,” a heavenly banquet with the King of kings and Lord of Lords. Note also, the bread on the table in the holy place was called the bread of the Presence (Exodus 25:30).

Jesus spoke of his provision for us in similar terms:

Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. (John 6:32-35 ESV)

The wonderful truth of the gospel is this: God so desires fellowship with lost humanity that he “gave his one and only Son” (John 3:16) to make that fellowship possible. The unbelievable and incalculable price has been paid and we are invited to the Lord’s banquet table. The bread of life and living water flow freely and generously to provide real life, eternal life, for those who believe.

Someday, this fellowship will become the most fantastic reality:

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:3-4 ESV)

So what must we do in the meantime to serve the Lord and enjoy his provision. Jesus reminds us of what God said to the Israelites: “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'” (Matthew 4:4 ESV) We must learn to trust him for our “daily bread” and to find in his words our spiritual sustenance. When we read Psalm 119, the longest chapter in the Bible, and see just how much the psalmist cherishes God’s Word, we begin to realize the importance of daily Scripture reading and study. Just as we cannot go long without physical nourishment, we must have frequent, regular spiritual nourishment.

People who belong to the Fellowship of the Burning Heart can wholeheartedly agree with the words of Job, “I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.” (Job 23:12 KJV) It is our heart cry as well.