Just A Little Taste

When my children were growing up, every Sunday dinner was the same.
They loved the way the dinner smelled when it was in the oven.
They were never bored with Sunday dinner.
The aroma of Sunday dinner is permanently in their memory.

Sunday dinner was always roast beef.
With roast beef, there had to be mashed potatoes.
With mashed potatoes, there had to be homemade gravy.
The vegetables could vary, but usually corn was their favorite.

They would come in from playing outside and I would see them sniff the air.
There was something comforting in the smell.
There was something comforting in the expectation.
It was when I got out the cutting board and knife that it happened.

Wherever my boys were in the house, they would come running.
They would hear me cutting the roast beef and they came.
Piece! Piece! Piece! They would say as they ran towards the kitchen.
Of course, they each raced to see who would get there first.

Once, when they argued about who got there first, my husband settled the score.
He leisurely walked into the kitchen.
He held out his hand.
He got the first piece.

No matter how quietly I got the cutting board out of the drawer, they always knew.
When the knife went into the roast beef to make the first cut, they knew.
Piece! Piece! Piece! I would hear from all ends of the house.
It made me smile.

As they expected a roast beef dinner on Sunday, I expected them to come running.
It was never annoying.
I was delighted to know that my cooking was that special to them.
Even today, if you ask them about their favorite meal, they will say it was Sunday dinner.

They are adults now.
Both my sons are married.
My younger son and his wife have a little daughter, our second grandchild.
You cannot take the boy out of the man.

When everyone was home a while back, I made roast beef for dinner.
It has been years since they were young.
It has been years since they consistently had roast beef dinner on Sunday.
However, nothing much has changed.

I got out the cutting board.
I got out the knife.
I made the first cut.
Piece! Piece! Piece! I heard as two grown men tried to race each other to the kitchen.

We all laughed.
They each got a piece at the same time.
They walked away with smiles on their faces.
At that moment, childhood and manhood met.

Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. (2 Corinthians 1:21,22)

When my boys ran and said, Piece! Piece! Piece! They knew that Sunday dinner was coming.
They were getting a little taste before the meal.
They walked away with a slice of roast beef in their hands.
Soon, they would be sitting at the table enjoying the full meal with the family.

When we come to Jesus in faith, God puts the Holy Spirit in our hearts as a deposit.
The Holy Spirit is a deposit guaranteeing what is to come.
The Holy Spirit is a little taste before the meal, the Wedding Supper of the Lamb.
We will be feasting with our brothers and sisters in Christ, eating the meal prepared for us.

We get just a little taste now.
Soon, we will be enjoying the full meal.
Piece! Piece! Piece!
Do you see the nail scarred hand extended to you?