Morning, October 16, edited from Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening

 “Jesus said to them, ‘Come and have breakfast.’” (“Come and dine,” KJV) — John 21:12

In these words the believer is invited to a holy nearness to Jesus. “Come and dine,” implies the same table, the same meat; yes, and sometimes it means to sit side by side, and lean our head into the Savior’s embrace. It is being brought into the banquet-house, where the banner of redeeming love waves. “Come and dine,” gives us a vision of union with Jesus, because the only food that we can feast upon when we dine with Jesus is himself. Oh, what a union this is! It is to a depth which reason cannot fathom, that we in this way feed upon Jesus. “He that eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, dwells in me, and I in him.” It is also an invitation to enjoy fellowship with the saints. Christians may differ on a variety of points, but they have all one spiritual appetite; and if we cannot all feel alike, we can all feed alike on the bread of life sent down from heaven. At the table of fellowship with Jesus we are one bread and one cup. As the loving cup goes around we share a pledge with one another heartily therein. Get nearer to Jesus, and you will find yourself linked more and more in spirit to all who are like yourself, supported by the same heavenly manna. If we were more near to Jesus we should be more near to one another. We likewise see in these words the source of strength for every Christian. To look at Christ is to live, but for strength to serve him you must “come and dine.” We labor under much unnecessary weakness on account of neglecting this precept of the Master. None of us need to put ourselves on a scant diet; on the contrary, we should fatten on the marrow and fatness of the gospel that we may accumulate strength there, and urge every bit of might to its full force in the Master’s service. Thus, then, if you would wish nearness to Jesus, union with Jesus, love to his people and strength from Jesus, “come and dine” with him by faith.