Forty Days Full - An Invitation To Real Life

Day Ten: Welcome to the Table

“And Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king’s table; he was lame in both feet.” (2 Samuel 9:13 NIV)

I n June of 2016, I was given one of the greatest privileges of my life. My wife and I were invited along with about fifty other ministers to a private meeting with Pope Francis in the Vatican. We spent over two hours in a private chamber talking chiefly about his hope that the Church would be unified. Whatever you've heard about the man, I can tell you from personal experience that he is a very genuine, humble and Spirit filled man. There is so much more I could say, but what I want to focus on is something that happened the week before that meeting. I was invited to a dinner in Giovanni Traettino’s home. This invitation to visit the Pope came through him and my spiritual father and mentor Mike Herron. Giovanni and his wife Francesca hosted us in their home in Caserta, Italy, as we celebrated Mike's birthday. There were ten of us who sat around this large family table as we all told stories and ate food and drank wine. It was the best Lasagna I have ever eaten. Multiple courses were served as we talked and laughed for hours. Throughout the evening other family members and grandchildren came into the home to say hello. None of them were ever an interruption, they only enhanced the atmosphere of celebration and love. My wife and I were so taken by this Italian family. We had never experienced anything like this. It is hard to put into words their expression of love and the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit in their home. Later, as we lay in bed to go to sleep, we were both so grateful for what we