Tag: encouragement

Devotional: Dessert Plate (Colossians 3:23–24)

On By Janine TuggleIn Articles, Colossians, Devotional, New Testament 
“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward.” (Colossians 3:23–24a).

Last but not least is the dessert plate in our study of plates. The dessert plate is a specialty plate. As we can see from its name, it is used to put a dessert on, something sweet one enjoys after a meal. It is not meant for a sweet snack at any other time of the day. It is meant to be used only after the dinner meal.

The background of the word dessert comes from the French word desservir, meaning “to remove what has been served.” Which means everything from the table has been taken away when the meal has finished. So, dessert refers to what is eaten after the meal was cleared.

I would like for us to take a look at this dessert plate and what is on it as the reward we will receive after the table is cleared when our life comes to an end on this earth. If you can imagine all the plates we have talked about up to this point as our life and what we have done in it. When our life ends here on this earth it is time for dessert.

We have prepared our whole life for this final event:

  • We have filled ourselves with those essential spiritual needs.
  • We have stood firm on a spiritual and biblical foundation.
  • We have received the Bread of Life through our study and worship.
  • We have endured our full plate and overcome trials of various kinds.
  • We have prayed, read our Bible, and encouraged and been encouraged to get us through the day.

We have had our dinner of fundamental and basic spiritual nourishment by digging into God’s word. Our Lord has been there as we spill our hearts to him in prayer, and show our love to him through service to others. We have been faithful throughout our lives until death.

We must be careful because even though dessert can be good, it can also be bad for some of us. Those who are not of the household of faith will not be able to enjoy the good reward of the good dessert on this dessert plate.

Hymn: Heaven Holds All to Me

Devotional: Luncheon Plate (1 Thess 5:11)

On By Janine TuggleIn 1 Thessalonians, Devotional, New Testament 
“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” (1 Thess. 5:11)

The luncheon plate, which is about 8-9.5 inches in diameter, has a history dating from the 18th century when it first was called nunchin (nuncheon). A nunchin was a light snack for the cooks, which was to tide them over between their breakfast and dinner meal. Because the cooks got up so early to start the meals for the day it was a small amount of food for them to get through the day.

In the writing Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austin, Austin called the noon meal “nuncheon.” At a later time, the snack in the midday was named “lunch” from the word luncheon. Luncheon means a lump or maybe a hunk of bread about the size one hand can hold. Nowadays, the midday meal is called lunch or luncheon. The luncheon plate is smaller and lighter than a dinner plate. 

Let’s look at the idea of a luncheon plate so as to give us a little strength through the day. Sometimes we need something to get us through a difficult time or situation. We might need a pick-me-up or a bit of encouragement.

How are we going to get this encouragement? We can be encouraged by someone who we can talk with. Maybe a close friend, the minister, or an elder. Sharing your thoughts or concerns with someone will help us get through. Saying a quick prayer or reading a Bible verse will help also. 

As said here:

"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." (Isaiah 4:10)

Singing a favorite song or hymn to praise our God is always a pick-me-up:

"The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation." (Psalm 118:14)

Let’s turn this around as one who is to serve or provide a luncheon. Be the encourager, be the one to lift someone up, and be that helper through someone’s day. 

"Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body." (Proverbs 16:24)

Lifting someone else’s spirits gives us a lift of encouragement too.

Hymn: Love lifted me