The Divine Picnic

This gift that each of us has been given called 2025 has reached the halfway marker! One of the primary motivations I hold in writing this blog is the hope that each time you read it, your spirit is refreshed and your faith stirred. ​So today I wish a happy and meaningful summer to you—as we shift gears into the time of year where the calendar loosens up a little bit, I pray that a true spirit of godly rest can take deep root in your heart. Our culture thrives on pushing all of us to be busier, more productive, more, more, more, and it is a refreshing, countercultural move to slow down and smell the roses.

We recently celebrated our daughters’ birthdays, and that always makes me feel so nostalgic and sentimental. They are very gracious to allow me a stroll down memory lane every year on their birthday week. We have always celebrated them together because they are three years and three days apart, meaning one wonderful birthday party with all of the people who love them most. So I was searching through a huge box of pictures, looking for the perfect photos of past birthday celebrations, when I came up upon a photo from 1983 that made me stop in my tracks...

This was from my own childhood, several years before I first met my wonderful husband, and long before our beautiful daughters came into the world. I lived with my family (by direction of the United States Navy) in New England, and this photo captured a perfect summer afternoon at Tanglewood, which is the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. I just looked it up online, and it turns out John Williams was the conductor that summer, and personally played the harpsichord that day! In my 11-year-old heart memory, that particular afternoon encapsulates everything most wonderful in this beautiful world our good Father made. 

The weather was perfect, mild and warm, and when I think about that day, I can just feel the balmy breeze in that tree-shaded park touching my cheek as it made its way across the countryside. The music was amazing—that day the selection was a Vivaldi concerto, and even hearing just the first few bars of that piece still sets my heart right back to this beautiful memory. The food was glorious: three different picnic baskets and a couple of coolers were unloaded on that quilt, containing the most amazing cheeses and meats and nuts and crackers and sweets and drinks—picnic food that somehow fed my soul as well as my body. 

But even better than all of those things was the fantastic company that was assembled that day. My daddy was home from sea, and anytime that happened made everything right with the world. My beloved Nannie was visiting from Texas, and anytime she was with us was the best day of all. Of course my wonderful mom and big sister were there, and we had so much fun, laughing and enjoying the day with our assortment of not-family-family that military communities afford. It was a day filled with love and laughter and hope and happiness, and that one afternoon has marked me for the rest of my life.

I think it spoke so deeply to my little 11-year-old heart as a glimpse into a reality that so few of us realize is a sure thing. Sure, many of us understand that heaven—one day,  eventually—is going to be something like this, but very few of us grab hold of the fact that actually Jesus’ kingdom is already here right now, this moment.

And it certainly isn't difficult to understand why that is such a difficult thing to believe. In just the last few months, I've had serious discussions with friends who are going through the worst of the worst of bad times: people they love lost in addictions, or worse—lost to suicide, repercussions of divorce, crippling fear and anxiety, devastating illness, loss of jobs, slander, betrayal, kids who despair of life, confusion of all kinds, insomnia, bitterness, unforgiveness, and terribly complicated and contentious relationships. The world is truly broken, and terrible things happen all the time. And the world is also lying to us, trying to convince us that these difficult situations are just the way life is supposed to be, and that there is no hope for any peace or joy to be found. It crushes the belief right out of us.

I know I am always railing on modern media, but that's because it deserves railing! The whole (lucrative) industry is intent upon keeping everyone anxious and angry to generate more clicks and reactions, and we all fall for it way too easily. The current trend is to put up every single accusation, be it factual or slanderous or somewhere in between, and let actual truth fall by the wayside. In so doing, every institution and archetype has been gutted, and no one believes in anything anymore. We live in such a cynical culture, bereft of a foundation of faith, and shouldn't wonder why kids are so confused and anxious, or why neurosis is so common and widespread.

Lumped in with everything else to be mistrusted is anything to do with religion, and too many try to fit Jesus into this category. But we should all take time to read the four gospel books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John again to refresh our memory that Jesus wasn't too thrilled with religion, either. Hear me, I am all for faith in Jesus Christ, and understand that "religion" is a catch-all word often employed to describe a walk of faith. But that's just what makes following Jesus so different: a relationship with Him has nothing to do with religion in the traditional sense at all. He didn't come to make us adhere to a set of rules or laws, He came to absolutely fulfill the law and to set us free! He came to deliver the greatest news in the universe: that God loves each of us so deeply and wants to have a relationship with each of us, forever. He came to personally invite each one of us to the Divine Picnic, and all we have to do is believe Him. 

It will be amazing in Heaven, and we can all be filled with hope as we long for that day. But it can also be lovely here and now, and it's so important that we don't let the world rob of us all of the joy and love that can be found today. We must fight to believe God! This is why the entire Bible is so filled with admonitions to remember: remember His goodness, remember His faithfulness, remember His promises and provision, remember His victory over death, hell, and the grave! It is also filled with invitations to come to Him—if you're tired and weary, if you're happy, if you're troubled, if you're sad, if you're carrying a heavy burden—whatever life throws at you, come to Jesus, and let Him help you through. In fact, almost the very last words of the entire Bible read, "The Spirit and the bride say, 'Come!' And let the one who hears say, 'Come!' Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life."

I am so grateful God gave me that lovely afternoon so long ago, which stirred all of my senses for His goodness. I might have been just eleven years old, but the reality of God's beauty and joy impressed me so deeply, and that memory has been an important reminder to me through many decades now. I've always been able to hold onto the fact that what I experienced on that day so long ago was the real thing, no matter how hard everything else tries to convince me otherwise. How has God impressed your heart in the past? Dig through the hurt and disappointment that life in this world has tried to heap on you, and think of the times His kindness and generosity shone through brightly. Find those beautiful touchpoints and hold tightly to them—REMEMBER how good and faithful He is, as often as it takes. 

In spite of all of the difficult circumstances we all have to face, COME TO JESUS. We may never understand why all of the things we go through happen, be we can trust Him to somehow work everything for our good and for His glory. We aren't strong or wise or good enough to carry everything the world throws at us, but He is plenty strong, and knows the way out of any grave. Come to Him, and join in the celebration of the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Come to Him, remember Him, and believe Him. Let the cool breeze touch your cheek, let the beautiful music encourage your heart, let the delicious food nourish your body and soul, and let the wonderful fellowship brighten your countenance. He is risen, and He has overcome the world! Grab a plate and take your seat, there is plenty of room.