Worship is a Foretaste of the Feast to Come

One of the catch phases often used in church is how worship is a “foretaste of the feast to come”. This phrase is talking about more than just the sacrament of the Eucharist, but the whole worship experience. I think it is an interesting metaphor. And I know that this phrase is more than just a metaphor for Heaven. It is an example of how we can gain another glimpse of God and (eternal) life with God. Today I want to look more into this phrase as a metaphor. So here we go.

If worship is a “foretaste of the feast to come”, then let’s examine some of the roles of this feast. God is the cook, the head chef, if you will. And we as Christians are more than just the guests at the banquet. I don’t want to set any limitations on God and what God can or cannot do, but I think God wants us to help in this heavenly feast. Here as some roles that might need to be filled but the faithful followers of God. For example, God might want someone to knead bread, make sauces, stir soups, sauté, bake, clean the kitchen, wash the dishes, set the table, and help serve the meal. There are some people out there that serve God here on earth by serving, cooking, hosting, teaching, cleaning, working, etc.

Imagine your favorite foods, meals, restaurants, friends to eat with, places to eat, and ways to eat. Roll all these things up and multiply it by infinity. I would imagine that is what the Feast might look like. What a sweet deal! And it’s also a sweet deal that we get a foretaste, a glimpse of this feast. It is a chance to dip our spoons in the Heavenly stew/soup/_____. Worship with our Christian community is an opportunity and a promise that the joy within worship is only a small portion of what Heaven is like.

I guess what I’m beginning to realize is that God offers a glimpse of God’s self in all sorts of ways. God promises to give a glimpse of the Eternal Perfection of Heaven in worship, through the sacraments. What a gracious, merciful gift!