Jan 15, 2020
Too many are willing to sit at God’s table, but not work in his field.
Vance Havner
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Too many are willing to sit at God’s table, but not work in his field.
Vance Havner
Evening Prayer - 21 Nov 2019
Slogging along. There was plenty of slogging along today, God. The thing that broke it up was the time I spent eating – and that is because of the gift of community as well as the gift of food. And that’s how it is with your table, isn’t it? At your table, the people are fed with food *and* community. At your table, people are drawn together, walls are dismantled, bridges are built, and people squeeze together so more can come sit. Thank you for your table – your table of grace, your table of justice, your table of community, your table of love. Amen.
03.31.19 ~ The Table of God’s Will
There are many tables to eat at in life. There is the table of public opinion. The food is sweet, but it sours in the stomach. There is the table of personal achievement. That’s a power meal for sure, yet the crash is as rapid as the ascent.
There is only one table with rich food that settles well and brings supernatural strength - it’s the table of God’s will.
“My food is to do the will of Him who sent me.” - John 4:34 NASB
John 6:24-59 (Passion)
So when the people saw on the shoreline a number of small boats from Tiberias and realized Jesus and the disciples weren’t there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum to search for him.
When they finally found him, they asked him, “Teacher, how did you get here?”
Jesus replied, “Let me make this very clear, you came looking for me because I fed you by a miracle, not because you believe in me. Why would you strive for food that is perishable and not be passionate to seek the food of eternal life, which never spoils? I, the Son of Man, am ready to give you what matters most, for God the Father has destined me for this purpose.”
They replied, “So what should we do if we want to do God’s work?”
Jesus answered, “The work you can do for God starts with believing in the One he has sent.”
They replied, “Show us a miracle so we can see it, and then we’ll believe in you. Moses took care of our ancestors who were fed by the miracle of manna every day in the desert, just like the Scripture says, ‘He fed them with bread from heaven.’ What sign will you perform for us?”
“The truth is,” Jesus said, “Moses didn’t give you the bread of heaven. It’s my Father who offers bread that comes as a dramatic sign from heaven. The bread of God is the One who came out of heaven to give his life to feed the world.”
“Then please, sir, give us this bread every day,” they replied.
Jesus said to them, “I am the Bread of Life. Come every day to me and you will never be hungry. Believe in me and you will never be thirsty. Yet I’ve told you that even though you’ve seen me, you still don’t believe in me. But everyone my Father has given to me, they will come. And all who come to me, I will embrace and will never turn them away. And I have come out of heaven not for my own desires, but for the satisfaction of my Father who sent me. My Father who sent me has determined that I will not lose even one of those he has given to me, and I will raise them up in the last day. For the longing of my Father is that everyone who embraces the Son and believes in him will experience eternal life and I will raise them up in the last day!”
When the Jews who were hostile to Jesus heard him say, “I am the bread that came down from heaven,” they immediately began to complain, “How can he say these things about himself? We know him, and we know his parents. How dare he say, ‘I have come down from heaven?’”
Jesus responded, “Stop your grumbling! The only way people come to me is by the Father who sent me—he pulls on their hearts to embrace me. And those who are drawn to me, I will certainly raise them up in the last day.”
Jesus continued, “It has been written by the prophets, ‘They will all be taught by God himself.’ If you are really listening to the Father and learning directly from him, you will come to me. For I am the only One who has come from the Father’s side, and I have seen the Father!
“I speak to you living truth: Unite your heart to me and believe—and you will experience eternal life! I am the true Bread of Life. Your ancestors ate manna in the desert and died. But standing here before you is the true Bread that comes out of heaven, and when you eat this Bread you will never die. I alone am this living Bread that has come to you from heaven. Eat this Bread and you will live forever. The living Bread I give you is my body, which I will offer as a sacrifice so that all may live.”
These words of Jesus sparked an angry outburst among the Jews. They protested, saying, “Does this man expect us to eat his body?”
Jesus replied to them, “Listen to this eternal truth: Unless you eat the body of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you will not have eternal life. Eternal life comes to the one who eats my body and drinks my blood, and I will raise him up in the last day. For my body is real food for your spirit and my blood is real drink. The one who eats my body and drinks my blood lives in me and I live in him. The Father of life sent me, and he is my life. In the same way, the one who feeds upon me, I will become his life. I am not like the bread your ancestors ate and later died. I am the living Bread that comes from heaven. Eat this Bread and you will live forever!”
Jesus preached this sermon in the synagogue in Capernaum.
Philippians 4:12-13 (Passion)
I know what it means to lack, and I know what it means to experience overwhelming abundance. For I’m trained in the secret of overcoming all things, whether in fullness or in hunger. And I find that the strength of Christ’s explosive power infuses me to conquer every difficulty.
Questions: ~ Where have I gotten my sustenance? Have I been fully relying on God to provide my strength? ~ What has God been speaking to me about relying on Him in all things? Am I willing to continue towards that goal?
Prayer:
Father - Thank you for providing us with Your strength. Help me to continue to learn how to rely on You each and every day. Please continue to infuse Christ’s power in me, so I can accomplish Your purposes and show Your love and glory. Yes + Amen.