11/21/2019
What can we do, and how fruitful is our faith apart from Jesus Christ? With what words do we praise the Father without His teaching, and how effective are we without His intercession, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit in our prayer closet? We are nothing without our Lord. Even though we think we can come to God of our own volition, is that really so?
“Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6 ESV
When I was young I watched professional football on television, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I tuned in early for the pregame shows, and watched the interviews after the games. I thought I was a true fan, and fully immersed in the game. Then, at a business gathering, I had the opportunity to have dinner with Fran Tarkington who, during his amazing career, had been the quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings, and New York Giants. It was then that I found that I really didn’t know much about the game of football at all. I knew the stats, but that was just a small part of the game. At dinner I sat right next to Fran, and he told me about his father, who was a pastor, and we had a wonderful dinner talking with one another. The sports giant I had watched play on the television screen became much more of a man to me that evening, and this wouldn’t have happened if not for having worked for this particular company, and being seated beside him. Well, that was football, but in the much bigger picture of faith our desire is to sit at the table next to our Heavenly Father, and in order for this to happen we need to know Jesus, to abide in Him, and to do His bidding. Without our association and discipleship to Christ we can only watch, but it is God’s desire that we join the feast, and consume His food because in this way we come to know Him.
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love”
Ephesians 1:3-4 ESV
So we are given audience with God by the fact that we abide in Jesus, and He in us, and that this was God’s will from before the very foundation of the world... that we should do those things He has prepared for us in Christ.
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
Ephesians 2:10 ESV
What is the food that Jesus eats, and as His disciples, what is the food we should eat? We know of some things like honey, and bread, but there are spiritual foods that we must learn to eat as well... God’s will.
“But he said to them, "I have food to eat that you do not know about." So the disciples said to one another, "Has anyone brought him something to eat?" Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.”
John 4:32-34 ESV
Jesus... without our Savior we don’t know God, and we certainly can’t dine with Him. In fact, we wouldn’t even know the food that adorns the Father’s table, or how to pray over it as we should. Jesus is our vine, and without Him there is no eternal life awaiting us.
“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”
John 15:5 ESV
Are we ready to know Jesus? Are we ready to open ourselves so that He might abide in us, and bring us before the Father? Are we ready for Him to enter our prayer closet and teach us to pray?
Prayer:
Father, thank you for your Son Jesus who cleanses us, teaches us to pray, and leads us to your table. Thank you Holy Father for every blessing that our eyes become open to as we dine with Him, and for the love we receive as we come into a close relationship with Him. Help us Lord as we turn to your Son for intercession, and to your Holy Spirit for words of prayer when they are lost to us. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God who has desired us at your table from the foundation of the earth. Great are you who sacrificed His Son to save us, and merciful are you whose grace through Christ is sufficient. We praise your name Holy Father because without Jesus we are nothing, but by abiding within Him we are eternally in your presence. All glory is yours Father and is made perfect in the grace you cover us with through Jesus. Hear us as we worship you, and keep your hand upon us always.
Rich Forbes