What a Privilege We Have!
ICS Daily Devotions
Throughout the Old Testament, we see that meals were important and meaningful. In particular, having a meal together was part of establishing a covenant. Today, we have the privilege of coming before the table to eat with Him. This fellowship of eating in the presence of the Lord during the Holy Communion is far superior!
Genesis 14:18-20 (NKJV) Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. And he blessed him and said: “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” And he gave him a tithe of all.
Melchizedek honoured God as the one who had delivered Abram from his enemies. It is a wonderful reminder that God is indeed a covenant God who supported His covenant partner Abram when he was faced with a situation beyond his abilities. Likewise, it is through this unconditional covenant with Abram that God sent forth the Messiah to redeem mankind.
Psalm 23:5 (NKJV) You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.
David was someone who understood the meaning and obligation of a covenant. He testified about God being his covenant partner who protected him from bears and lions, and it led him to defeat Goliath with the help from God because of his faith in the covenant partnership with God. God was present with David when he went through all his life’s challenges, and God’s presence brought peace, comfort, assurance, and rest to David despite the presence of his enemies and unfavourable circumstances.
These two passages show a consistency in God’s behaviour and character in honouring His covenant with His covenant partners. Likewise, we can place our faith in God as we sit in His presence in preparation to partake of the Holy Communion. It is a reminder that we have a covenant with God which is established by the blood of Christ in the New Testament for the church.
Revelation 3:20 (NKJV) Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
God always knock at the door of our hearts so He can fellowship with us. It is a picture of intimacy, and the Holy Communion is a foretaste of the marriage supper of the Lamb. What a privilege it is to have God as our covenant partner and to have Him journey with us during tough times. He will be just as faithful to us as He was to Abraham and David. This is why we should approach the table of the Lord by faith to receive grace and strength to face the tribulations in our lives.
Sermon Series: The Holy Communion
