A Hymn for Preparing a Meal

It's that time of year when we tend to make meal planning and preparation a little more exciting with favorite and traditional Thanksgiving and Christmas meals complete with turkey, ham, sides, pie and more for holiday gatherings of all sorts.

But whether we're planning an extra special meal for the holidays or an everyday meal any time of year, guess what?

There's a hymn for that. 

So next time you pull out your recipe box, book or pull up your Internet search engine, think about this:

Jesus Christ not only invites us to enjoy the divine feast of His love in His presence every day now, He is also preparing the ultimate feast for us called The Marriage Supper of the Lamb. 

Isaac Watts expresses jaw-dropping gratitude for Christ as the Host of our feast in his hymn, "How Sweet and Aweful Is the Place."

How sweet and aweful* is the place
with Christ within the doors,
while everlasting love displays
the choicest of her stores.

While all our hearts and all our songs
join to admire the feast,
each of us cries, with thankful tongue,
"Lord, why was I a guest?

Why was I made to hear your voice,
and enter while there's room,
when thousands make a wretched choice,
and rather starve than come?"

'Twas the same love that spread the feast
that sweetly drew us in;
else we had still refused to taste,
and perished in our sin.

Pity the nations, O our God,
constrain the earth to come;
send your victorious Word abroad,
and bring the strangers home.

We long to see your churches full,
that all the chosen race
may, with one voice and heart and soul,
sing your redeeming grace.

*Some versions use the word "awesome."