Although we call the table in front of the pastor’s podium “the devotion table”, the purpose of the table is not only for “devotion” or “commitment”. You can still come to the table with prayer requests, confessions of love, or praise and thanksgiving to God. Again, it does not have to be something big; small things are also welcome. As long as it is something you want to offer to God, please bring it to the table. Come to the table like the woman who came to Jesus with a jar of perfume. Come to the table like the sick who came to Jesus hoping for healing. Come to the table like the parents who brought their little children to Jesus to have Him touch them.
“People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them” (Mark 10:13)
We were going through difficult times when Sooyoung was born, as my body and soul were exhausted after weathering several big storms. Soon after, I brought SooYoung to church for the very first time. Reciting the verse Mark 10:13 in my head, I held Sooyoung in my arms and inched towards the sacrament table, hoping that Jesus would touch us. Each step I took was my sincere heart towards Jesus and my confession towards God.
It was not like I had some specific prayer request in mind. My only hope was to entrust Soooung to God, that Jesus would touch him. During that short walk to the table, my heart’s sole focus was on Jesus As I took each step, the noise around me also started to disappear. Then, when I kneeled down in front of the table, I was deeply engrossed by God’s presence as he affectionately touched my heart. After crying a while, I stood up to find my heart replenished with new strength and peace. This experience became an unforgettable gift to me from God.
The devotion table is not the only place where we can find Jesus. However, on that day, I walked towards the table as if Jesus was there. This symbolization of walking to the table strengthened my faith and my heart’s confession to God even more. When you step toward the devotion table, please walk thinking that you are walking towards Jesus. I pray that our walk to the devotion table becomes that symbolic act of confessing our hearts to God.
Following the shepherd…
Pastor Jiwon Choi