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To read:
1 Corinthians 1:18-31
For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that
the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took a loaf of
bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is
my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me." In the same
way he took the cup also, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new
covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in
remembrance of me." For as often as you eat this bread and drink the
cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.
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To think about:
Chastisement—that’s what Paul was in the process of when he wrote
the four verses for today. He was chastising the Corinthian
Christians on many fronts, but specifically for how they were
dishonoring our Lord in the manner in which they celebrated what we
today refer to as Holy Communion. I encourage you to read verses 17
through 34 to get the whole picture. Paul obviously felt that the
behavior of the Corinthians was despicable enough to write to them
about it, hoping that by doing so, they might see how their behavior
could be improved. And don’t we all need some of that “correction”
on a continual basis? To keep us from becoming too proud, too
arrogant, too independent from our Heavenly Father who always stands
ready and waiting for us.
Our Father is always present, always available for us to commune
with him. For that is what He truly wants from each one of us, a
relationship of trust, dependence, sharing, caring and love. God
wants to be the most important focus in the lives of his children.
So how do we do that? How do we make God our most important focus?
We don’t leave our thoughts of God or Jesus Christ at the communion
rail in a worship service. We make our Lord and our God part of our
daily existence. We consult with him about the challenges we face in
our family relationships, in our experiences at school, our time at
work, when we’re driving, when we go shopping, when we play, or even
just when we meditate. We call on him frequently as part of our
daily routine. We acknowledge his continual presence in our lives
and not just when we feel we need him. God wants a very close and
personal relationship with his children, much like what the best
human parents wants for their children. He doesn’t want to be
ignored or abused; he wants to be a part of our lives all the time!
Many of us lead very busy lives, caught up in everything that’s
happening around us. It’s very easy to leave God out of the picture.
That’s a major mistake! That’s when we fall because that’s when we
want to live our lives according to what we want instead of giving
the will of God priority. As we approach the time when we celebrate
the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, let each one of us
strengthen our desire to turn the experience of Holy Communion into
continual communion with him so that our lives make a positive
difference in a hurting world. |
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To pray:
Dear Heavenly Father, you know the
focus of my heart better than I do. As I contemplate all that your
Son Jesus Christ has done for me, give me the patience and awareness
I need to make you a part of my daily routine. Give me the wisdom to
know when to turn to you, the courage to involve you often, and the
peace that comes from placing all my trust in you. I ask that you
bless all of your children who depend upon you and especially be
with me as I face the challenges of living more confidently with
you. I ask this in the name of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Amen.
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