Drinking Part 5 - Feasting

503 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 11:13 Now when David called him, he ate and drank before him; and he made him drunk. Let's continue to talk about drinking. But before we begin I want to speak to those who are recovering alcoholics. May God bless your sobriety, may He continue to give you the strength to say no to even one drink, because you know that in your situation, one drink is too many. The Bible does not forbid drinking but more important for the alcoholic....it doesn't command drinking either. You'll do just fine if you never put another drink to your lips. The Bible has much to say about the sin of drunkenness and the ill effects of strong drink, but it also has some things to say about the proper use of wine. In the Old Testament system of tithing, God made provision for an annual festive occasion for the collection of what is called the “second tithe.” We read about it in De 14:26 And you shall pay that silver for whatever your soul desires, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatever your soul desires. And you shall eat there before the LORD your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your household.” This annual communal feast was to be shared with the Levites, but not to be used as an excuse to get drunk. Isa 5:11,12, “Woe to those who rise up early in the morning to go after strong drink; tarrying in the twilight while wine inflames them! 12 And the lyre, and the harp, the timbrel, and pipe, and wine, are at their feasts; but they do not regard the work of the LORD. Yea, they do not see the work of His hands.” What's missing at this feast mentioned in Isaiah? The Lord is missing. Instead of merriment that celebrates the goodness of God, we have people getting inflamed by wine for the sake of getting inflamed. All feasting from thanksgiving to weddings should have God as the main attraction. Probably the closest thing we have to this annual feast of the Israelites in our country today is the holiday of Thanksgiving. These are annual communal gatherings for feasting and giving of thanks to the Lord, and it's okay to have some wine. Celebrate! Make merry! Feast! But let God be the centerpiece of your day rather than the food, the wine, or the football. And be responsible. Don't be a stumbling block to a brother who struggles with alcohol abuse and please, do not put yourself or others in harms way by getting behind the wheel of a car if you are in any way impaired. Where's the honoring of God in that? Father, it's so easy to make other gods the center of our feasting. Help us to remember that You are the source of any joy we may have!