Beyond our Intelligence

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts – Isaiah 55:8-9.

Certainly, things happen and we are unable to comprehend or fathom what really took place; totally beyond our power of reasoning and capabilities; you cannot connect the pieces. Just not logical! That is what happens when the divine is at work. Tell anyone of your experience you may be viewed as being crazy or your intelligence questioned. These type of insinuations come from believers and unbelievers alike.

God moves in mysterious ways! Many times we may be placed in situations that really does not make sense; man views it as inappropriate, but God later reveals his wonders in such situations. Take for example God telling the Israelites to march around the city of Jericho once for six days and seven times on the seventh day. Makes sense? Certainly obeying such instructions you would be crazy. But guess what? In order to test your obedience, God will not give you something that you will be oh so happy and feel comfortable to do. In my view that in itself would not make sense either. Take it or leave it, the faith test or test of our obedience will be tough to do, but we sit our tests based on our faith and trust in God. He will strengthen us so to do, and there lies our testimonies.

“In an Unworthy Manner”

“Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be answerable for the body and blood of the Lord” – 1 Corinthians 11:27. It is interesting that as Christians this part of scripture is often referred to in guiding the manner in which one participates in the Holy Communion.

Paul sets this context as he addressed the Corinthians, “When you come together, it is not really to eat the Lord’s supper. For when the time comes to eat, each of you goes ahead with your own supper, and one goes hungry and another becomes drunk. What! Do you not have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you show contempt for the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What should I say to you? Should I commend you? In this matter I do not commend you!

At the Lord’s Supper each appeared to be only concerned about him or herself as far as the food was concerned. But is it any different with how we behave even now when it comes to food in any kind of setting whether we are self-served or otherwise, a second helping is always fine without any thought of someone who have not yet eaten. What if one should embrace the African religion where everywhere is seen to be holy, not only in a church building. They worship anywhere because God is omnipresent, existing anywhere and everywhere. Therefore for them no matter where you partake food in the manner described by Paul, you bring condemnation on yourself.

Would it be safe to say that in this new dispensation we have a serious problem on our hands? Could it be a problem of hypocrisy? Paul’s issue with the Corinthians has been taken out of context, and so many Christians have stayed away from the Communion table for things they consider unworthy, but probably not for being gluttonous and a failure to seek out the less fortunate who may not know where the next meal is coming from. Would not Paul’s concern also apply here? We ought to be caring and sharing. Surely this unworthiness of being inconsiderate is not limited to the Holy Communion. Let us therefore examine ourselves.

Benefitting from the Lord’s Supper

“Do this in remembrance of me.” When Christians meet around the Lord’s table to partake in the Holy Communion, also known as the Lord’s Supper it is treated as a pious moment. This is to the extent that some may not partake for reasons that they do not find themselves worthy.

Given such a situation in which many may find themselves, is this a wise decision of not participating? This would appear to me that these Christians are missing the point in understanding what Christ has done for us. They therefore have been losing out a lot on what the Lord’s Supper has reserved for us around that table. This practice has become part of our culture based on Paul’s rebuke of the Corinthians when they had eaten all the food at the Lord’s Supper without giving consideration for the others who had not yet arrived. Paul was pleading for discipline amd control…”So then, my brothers and sisters, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. If you are hungry, eat at home, so that when you come together, it will not be for your condemnation” – 1 Corinthians 11:33-34. Let us then note the context in which Paul said, “Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be answerable for the body and blood of the Lord. Realize, it is during the very act of participating in the eating and drinking of the Lord’s Supper that the Corinthians were in contempt. It was not something wrong that they did the day before or an hour ago. This then would have been the opportune time to seek repentance, healing and reconciliation.

And this is precisely what some Christians are missing when they withdraw from around this table. Instead, humbly come to the table with a contrite heart and an attitude of purpose and intention. It provides opportunities for healing, reconciliation, repentance, forgiveness and renewal. It is because we are broken, we have been missing the mark and so this is one of many opportunities which presents itself for fellowship, mending broken relationships, to be refreshed and be renewed. Let us cherish this moment for what Christ represented when he was on earth. He preached, taught, healed, cast out demons, fed the hungry and set the captives free. He is still in this business.

As he sat at that table with the disciples, obviously he was broken.Broken for us as he contemplates on the inevitable. He was human; he experienced what we also experience, because we are made in his image.

So, never shy away from the table; come with your brokenness; break bread… the bread representing his body from which his blood was shed as an atonement for the very sins we carry to this table so we may be healed and renewed… “Do this in remembrance of me,” Jesus said.

Interesting inspirations as this one, and more from daily devotional – Devotions on the ROCK. The first edition available at: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1978141696 in print and kindle.

The Benefits of Sacrifice

Our first benefit of sacrifice made was that of Calvary… “So we may have life and have it more abundantly.” Therefore it is based on this concept in which we view sacrifice; as for the greater good… Life in abundance!

Making sacrifice in any shape or form is delaying certain gratification to achieve something better later on. Further, the Collins dictionary provides a definitions for sacrifice as follows: “If you sacrifice something that is valuable or important, you give it up, usually to obtain something else for yourself or for other people.” Some synonyms used are, give up, abandon, relinquish, lose. The meanings of sacrifice are not limited in the sense that it may be used not only as a verb but also as a noun.

The advantages or benefits of making sacrifices may be direct or indirect. So this does not necessarily mean that if you give your entire earnings of a particular month as tithes or as an offering, that your monetary fortunes will be doubled or tripled at some point in time. While it may very well happen in this manner, one may be able to benefit in ways such as the blessings of good health – eliminating costly medical bills, protection from costly mistakes, opportunities for progress and development, gifts in kind, socializing and networking in the right crowd – those who mean you well. This list continues in ways that we can never imagine, because God works in so many supernatural ways in our lives at times. Typical examples are found in 2 Kings 4 with Elisha and the Widow’s Oil, the Shunammite Woman and others. Indeed, this is truly living the abundant life. “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you.”

Interesting inspirations as this one, and more from daily devotional – Devotions on the ROCK. The first edition available at: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1978141696 in print and kindle.

The sacrificial worship of giving

Does sacrificial giving means giving ten percent of your earning? I would hardly think so. Yes, it was the command of God of his people to give one tenth, but under the new covenant of which we now exist and based on the example of the sacrifice of the life of our Saviour, Jesus Christ, does that sacrifice comes anywhere near or in any comparison to ten percent? This sounds more like a comforting sum in giving… Only just a one tenth. Certainly not a sacrificial giving!

Do you give based on what you can afford or from your extras. If so, how could this be sacrificial? Being sacrificial, it must indeed be a worship to God –  Giving based on the leading of the Holy Spirit; making that joyful connection with God –  He ought to be the central focus of our giving; not about anyone or anything else. Ought to be a worship experience! An expression of praise and gratitude.

The New Testament demonstrates sacrificial giving. Here are a few examples: “… but she out of her poverty, put in all that she had to live on” – Luke 21:4; … and beyond their ability they gave of their own accord” – 2 Corinthians 8:3; “… and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need” – Acts 2:45. “… a woman came to Him with an alabaster vial of very costly perfume, and she poured it on His head…” – Matthew 26:7. How much more this must be explained. Based on these parts of scripture do we see anything looking like a ten percent giving? Hopefully we would have come to a better understanding of sacrificial giving.