A Love Feast

What’s a love feast? It’s probably easiest to write about what a love feast isn’t!

It isn’t an orgy. It isn’t a bunch of druggies seeking a cheap thrill. It isn’t teenagers experimenting with what is sacred and intended for marriage.

Sometimes I’m glad I’m 75 years old because I have precious memories that go way back. Way back. One of my precious memories is that of a love feast. In fact, more than one love feast. I have to go back to when I was a child in the early 40’s. I vividly remember a love feast at camp meeting in Iowa. This picture is of my brothers and sister and myself. I’m the younger girl.

It began with singing some hymns A Capella, like What A Friend We Have In Jesus, Blest Be The Tie That Binds and Sweeter As The Years Go By. Then prayer declaring praise to God and inviting His Presence to be near. Testimonies came next, a time of personal praise and thanksgiving to God for all He had done in the person’s life. It became a time of confession of resentment toward a person who was or wasn’t present or even of a sin committed. The entire group of folks prayed for the person confessing, gathered around the person and even laid their hands on his/her head and shoulders. It was a sweet time. God’s presence was very near. It was not a time of gathering gossip to spread around. Even as a child, I felt the presence of God very near. Often when the person felt clear in his heart and mind, another person would feel convicted of something in his/her life and would also confess to the group what was on his heart that was not right with God. A love feast would sometimes go on and on for a lengthy time. There was nothing sweeter than being in the presence of God.

This is a sweet memory of mine that I’m very thankful for. It helped shape me into the person I am today. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Psalms 51: 10