Can God Furnish a Table in the Wilderness?

Paul and Felix hugged each other, exchanged greetings, and sat down across each other in Paul’s sitting room. Paul and Felix had been good friends since their college days, that was eight years ago.

Paul looked at his friend with amazement, and made a remark, “It seems you are enjoying yourself in this place, I couldn't recognize you properly when I first set my eyes on you; your body looks fresh and radiant”.

“Thanks, my friend, it is by the glory of God”, Felix replied with a smile on his face.

Paul had just been promoted few weeks back; he was assigned as a Branch manager of a newly established bank in a remote town. He had to relocate from a busy city to this town that Paul called “a dry place”.

“On a more serious note, I hate this place, it’s very dry; though the people are nice and friendly, the town is just too dry for my liking”, Paul exclaimed.

Felix couldn't understand why Paul was complaining about the town. As far as Felix was concerned, this is one of the best towns around. He had come to this town two years ago; he was into electronics business. He was the only business man in the town that ordered his goods directly from Toshiba company, so the other electronics stores purchased from him. 

Felix was very careful not to upset his friend more, so he asked cautiously, “What makes the town a dry place?”

“Can you imagine? There is no single church in this town, I've gone into the town and searched thoroughly, my friend, there is no any church in this nice town; this is why I call it a dry place”, Paul explained.

Felix waited patiently; he wanted his friend to finish his expression.

Paul continued, “In fact, the town is a wilderness, a very dry place spiritually; I don’t think I can stay long here. I wonder how you manage to cope without going to church on Sundays; remember we are Christians, we should attend Church to fellowship together with our brothers and sisters, and to listen to the Word of God.”

Felix responded with a smile on his face again, and said, “I attend church every Sunday”.

Paul looked at his friend’s face as if the man was not serious. Then he asked, “Are you kidding me?”

“I’m serious, I and my entire family attend church every Sunday in this wilderness where there is no single church building”, Felix maintained his point.

There was a worried look on Paul’s face; it was now his turn to wait for Felix to explain.

“You see”, Felix started cautiously, “You don’t need to attend a church service in this town by going into a church building; you can attend the church service on your computer. That means, you can attend church online. The church I attend is a church without walls; the name of the church is called Set Apart Church. I can confidently tell you that, I and my family are blessed every Sunday through this church’s online sermons. We fellowship together with other Christians all over the World on the church website, and even communicate by sending greetings and prayer requests”.

Felix paused a while to allow the message to sink in Paul’s mind. Then he continued; he looked at his friend’s face directly, and asked, “Do you remember the account of people of Israel in the wilderness? When there was neither food nor water to sustain them; the people rashly asked the Lord, “Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?” (Psalm 78: 19 KJV).

With excitement in Felix’s voice, he said happily, “The Lord answered their prayer, and furnished their table beyond their expectations in the wilderness.” (Psalm 78: 23-29). “That is exactly how God furnishes our own table spiritually in this so-called dry town by sending Set Apart Church to minister to our souls”, Felix concluded.

Paul requested for the church online web address, and Felix joyfully wrote it on a piece of paper and gave it to him. For the first time since they started the conversation, Paul smiled and said, “I’m going to attend the church service at Set Apart Church next Sunday, thanks a lot Felix”. The two friends found a furnished table in the wilderness! Our Lord is a wonderful God.