WHAT OUR LORD DESIRES OF US...

What Our Lord Desires of Us...                                                12-29-03

      "Behold I stand at the door and knock; if any man hear my voice, 
        and  open the door,  I will come  in to him,  and will sup with him, 
       and he with me."                                 Revelation 3: 20

       “He came unto His own,  and His own received  Him not.  But as 
          many as received  Him,  to them He gave the power to become 
          the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: which 
          were born,  not of blood,  nor of the will of the flesh, nor of  the 
          will of man, but of God.”                  John 1: 11-13
                                                                    

     Along with the two passages above, Scripture gives accounts of how 
Jesus was  known to go into the homes of  His followers.  It seems this 
was normally His first order of business,  to get to know one  this way.  
Matthew made a feast in his home.   Mary, Martha and Lazarus,  had 
their Lord come to stay with them.   Zachaeus made His  confession to 
Christ as He sat at table with him and other guests.   At  times persons
invited the Lord and at other times He invited Himself.  Scripture  indi-
cates He invited  himself into  homes where  occupants might consider 
himself or herself unworthy of such a visit.   Other  times, the new dis- 
ciple invited  him.  (Not necessarily Apostle.)  The idea is each,  whom  
he visited,  received him  gladly.  He  always went  where  invited, and
did not care about political correctness  

     The message of  God’s Word seems clear.  God desires a personal 
relationship with  those who would  follow Him.  He does not call us as
servants or  workers  in His  Kingdom,  but  friends,  associates,  sons 
and daughters.   He  is eager  to share intimate insight into His nature  
with all who avail themselves of the opportunity.  Since His ascension, 
the change has been the nature of that relationship. We no longer see 
nor communicate with our Lord in the flesh, but we still have opportu-
nity to enjoy communion with Him as real and meaningful as they did,
through the indwelling Spirit of Jesus Christ.  
     
     Today emphasis seems to  be upon activity for God  and service,  
until a disciple is so worn down by the service he has neither energy,  
time nor inclination for communion  with the creator.  This  dilemma,   
brought on by our proclivity for putting the cart before the horse, can 
result  in reduction of  our effectiveness  in service to  our  God.  We
expend  much effort in  the flesh toward  Spiritual goals.  The  adage,  
“work  smarter,  not harder,”  applies.  If  we are  wise and establish  
a close  personal  relationship with our  Heavenly Father through the
 Son,  we receive  the  power and wisdom  of  the indwelling  Spirit of 
God.

   Since the priority of our Lord, while on the earth in the flesh was to 
establish  relationships with  His disciples in conversation at table,  it 
seems making ourselves available to Him in  the same manner would 
be beneficial.  This  passage in  the  Revelation  does say  something  
about eating and drinking,  well after His resurrection and ascension.  
There  is also  the metaphor of  bread referring  to the Word  of God, 
 consistent  in the Old and  New Covenants.  Just as these  bodies of  
flesh are  nourished  at table, our  Spiritual  nourishment  must come 
from communion  with the Father through prayer,  reading and medi-
tation  upon the Word of God,  the bread of  life.   It  is  enhanced by  
the  ordinance of  The Lord’s Supper of Christ with  wine,  represen-
ting  His blood shed  for  our  sins.   In this ordinance, or  "Commun-
ion," commanded of  each believer,  members of  the local assembly 
regularly come together at the table of  our Lord, to remember  His
death until He comes again.        
   
            
donporter     12.06.12, ed. 8.25.14