Open Heavens 4 December 2015: Friday daily devotion by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Meal of Remembrance

Open Heavens 4 December 2015: Friday daily devotion by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Meal of Remembrance

Topic: Meal of Remembrance [Friday 4 December, 2015]

Memorise: And when he had given thanks,he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. - 1 Corinthians 11:24

Read: 1 Corinthians 11:23-25 (KJV)

23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:

24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.

25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.

Bible in One Year: Psalm 73:77; Hebrews 9:1-22

MESSAGE:

The Holy Communion is a very significant meal. Unlike regular meals, it is a meal of remembrance. When some people take this meal, they forget to heed the instruction in today's Bible reading, where the Lord repeatedly said "...this do in remembrance of Me". In other words, the meal reminds us of God's power of transformation. As you take the meal, God is saying to you:

"Remember who you were before, and what I have made you now; remember how you were dead in sin and trespasses, but the Holy Spirit has now quickened your spirit man. You were dumped and disowned before I received you and sealed you with the Holy Spirit. Remember how you thought you could buy salvation by being religious and buying things for your church before the Holy Spirit illuminated your mind and showed you the true way of salvation."

The meal of remembrance simply calls you to remember your past life and compare it with what God is doing in you presently.

When I consider just a few things from my past life, and compare them with what I see today, I cannot but be full of appreciation and gratitude to God, thanking Him for all He has done. Sometimes, while in the car, as I express gratitude to God, my driver would have to look back, wondering what is going on. Looking at my past, nobody would believe that I could become what I am today. After news about me reached the ears of my mathematics professor, he travelled all the way from Onitsha (South-East Nigeria) to the Redemption Camp, just to confirm if the Adeboye he was hearing about was that the same little boy whom he taught mathematics. The first time he came, I was not in, but my wife was; so he met my wife and asked her if I was the one, and she confirmed it. He later visited again, and this time around he met me. As we discussed, in astonishment, he kept on saying, "Adeboye! Adeboye!", and I replied "Sir". In all you do, don't forget who you were before the Holy Spirit took you up. As you take the Holy Communion, remember where you are coming from and where the Lord has taken you so far. See His goodness in your life and just thank and praise Him.

Action Point: Reflect over what your life was before you met Jesus and what it is today; thank God for all He has done for you.