Hobbit Faith

Our worship always culminates in this meal, and with David we confess that God has prepared a table for us in the presence of our enemies. And this is the gospel: yes you must obey, you must be faithful, you must sing, you must eat and fellowship with one another. But at the center of it all, in the middle of the battlefield, God invites us to sit down and eat. This reminds me of Tolkien’s hobbits who so often were concerned about when they would stop for their various meals; there is something fundamentally Christian in that picture. We are just little people in a gigantic world full of all kinds of dangers and evils. But we are with the King; the King is with us. And while we sit down and eat in the midst of the battle, our King is laying our enemies low. He fights on our behalf. So as you take up this bread and wine today do so in faith, hobbit faith. Eat the bread and see the godless fleeing to the hills; drink this wine and see giants and dragons and wicked politicians cowering before our warrior King. Eat and drink for God is giving us the Kingdom, and of its increase there shall be no end.