Sally Clarkson - The Lifegiving Table Experience: A Guided Journey of Feasting Through Scripture

He satisfies the thirsty

and fills the hungry with good things.

PSALM 107:9

In all the years that the Clarksons have been a family, feasting together has been a lifegiving activity for us. And weve always called it feasting, whether it involves a full-blown banquet, a one-on-one treat of milk and cookies, or a bowl of fresh-popped popcorn around the fire. The word reminds us of Gods bounty, the gift of our relationships, and the response of pleasure and thanksgiving that the act of sharing a meal requires of us.

Its no accident that many of our formative and memorable moments over the years have occurred around our various family tables. When my husband, Clay, and I started our family, we were determined to use the family table not only as a source of nourishment, but as a discipling tool and a place to strengthen our bonds of love and belonging. Over the years, as we enjoyed (mostly) healthy, delicious, and satisfying food, we also thrived on lifegiving conversation and a steady diet of Scripture shared around the table.

Such scriptural nourishment is at the heart of this guided study. It is intended as a companion to The Lifegiving Table, a book I wrote about how feasting together shaped our family and our shared mission. So rather than focusing on our own story here, we invite you to join us in the experience of feasting on the Word and exploring the scriptural impact of the lifegiving table.

The twelve chapters explore different aspects of food, drink, and celebration in both our physical and our spiritual lives. In each youll find

• A pertinent passage (or passages) from Scripture. We encourage you to feast on it first, savoring it slowly, before moving on.
• Setting the Table an imaginative retelling of the passage and a meditation on its meaning. Weve written each of these in a way we hope will make you feel as if you are stepping into the pages of Scripture and experiencing the scenes firsthand. Please keep in mind that we are storytellers and not formal theologians. So any imaginative elements in these stories are not meant to be a statement of how each story actually unfolded, but rather our notion of how it might have played out. Though we have attempted to be painstakingly attentive to the accuracy of Scripture, we have also carefully and respectfully used imagery and dialogue that arent explicitly stated in Scripture. While we hope you enjoy our take on these passages, we encourage you to go back for second helpings to get familiar with the source material yourself and learn the stories straight from Scripture.
• Table Talk Conversation Starters. These are brief questions designed to break the ice in a group study and stimulate both personal reflection and lively discussion.
• Table Talk Digging Deeper. These sections point you toward related Scripture passages and additional questions meant to offer a broader perspective and help you consider the theme of the chapter in greater depth. Weve left space in this section for you to jot down your thoughts and ideas, but you can use a separate notebook or journal if you prefer. This section is appropriate for discussion in the group or for individuals to complete later.

There are many possible ways to use this book. While originally envisioned as a twelve-week small-group study, it also will work well for individuals or couples. To enrich the experience, we recommend sharing it over a meal!

As you take this guided journey along with us, we hope youll take advantage of this opportunity to hear... , mark, learn, and inwardly digest see that the L ORD is good (Psalm 34:8). We pray that you will find both strength and sustenance as you explore what it means to feast at the Lords Lifegiving Table.

Bon apptit!

Sally Clarkson

CHAPTER 1