A Word from 1 Corinthians 10

This is going to sound like an odd question for a Monday morning devotional; but whose “table” will you be dining at this week? Please understand, I’m not really talking about your meal arrangements. No, I’m really asking which “hosts” you’ll be spending time with and trying to please. For example, will you “dine at the table” of career, making it your aim to get ahead? Will you “dine at the table” of appearances, investing your time and energy to cultivate a certain image in the eyes of others? Or will you “dine at the table” of anxiety, where most of your time is spent worrying about what might go wrong?

You see, today’s word comes from 1 Corinthians 10, where the Apostle Paul is counseling his friends about the dangers of “dining at the table” of demons! And in his day, of course, he was talking about actual demons—or at least, about the “idols” and “gods” that were valued by the people of Corinth. And was trying to warn them about the danger of divided loyalties. “The sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons,” he said, “not to God. And I don’t want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons.” (10:20-21)

Naturally, I doubt you’ll be visiting any pagan altars or temples of idols this week. But we will face the temptation to offer our time, and energy, and allegiance to various “idols” and “demons” of our day. And rather than pretending that we can honor God with our lips on Sunday and then give ourselves to the “powers that be” for the rest of the week, I think we’d do well to follow Paul’s advice: “So, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” (10:31)

May our heart’s desire be to dine at the table of the Lord! Where we discover how much he loves us, and where we learn what it means for us to love others. Amen.