Communion Devotionals
2025
Sowing In Tears Reaping with Joy
Sowing in Tears Reaping with Joy
By Chuck Harris
January 2025
“Those who sow in tears shall reap with joyful shouting. He who goes to and fro weeping, carrying his bag of seed, Shall indeed come again with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.” Psalm 126: 5-6
“For where you go, I will go , and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried.”
Ruth 1: 16-17
Is anyone curious about how a Gentile woman was honored by having a whole book in the Hebrew Scriptures named after her? What was God thinking?
It was the times of the Judges, when there was no king in Israel; and when everyone did what was right in his own eyes. ( Very much like it is today in our own world. )
In Bethlehem, there was famine in the land. Naomi and her husband, Elimelech, went in search for food for themselves and their boys, because there was no bread in the “house of bread”, which is what Bethlehem means.
They settled in the land east of Judah , in Moab.
And there was bread in Moab, but the price was exorbitant, for with it came the devastating grief over the next ten years of the death of Elimelech and the subsequent death of their two sons. Through a river of tears, Naomi and her two Moabite daughters-in-law started on their way back to Bethlehem, for they had heard that there was no more famine there.
Now Ruth had been observing her mother-in-law’s life. She admired the courage and grace she saw in Naomi during the death of her husband, and noted the personal impact the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob had in her life. Unlike their idol Chemosh, the fish god of the Moabites, also known as “the destroyer”, with his implacable demands, Naomi’s God wanted to “tabernacle” with His people and care for them. Naomi had rehearsed the exodus of her people with her daughters-in-law, from slavery in Egypt and how their God had wonderfully wrought a great deliverance from the Egyptians by the blood of the Passover lamb. How God had personally led His people through the desert wilderness in the form of a pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night. How different was the God of Naomi! There was no comparison to the self-serving Moabite god Chemosh. Ruth saw the same strength exhibited when Naomi lost her sons later on, and Naomi’s silent witness, more than anything she had said, was seed sown in good, prepared ground, in Ruth’s heart..
Naomi’s testimony moved Ruth to say, against her mother-in-law insistence that she return to Moab along with sister-in-law , “…Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God.”
God had the Gentiles on His mind all along. Abraham was a Gentile before the Lord called him out from Ur of the Chaldeans.(Gen.12:1-3) “ Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” (Rom.4:3-4) And so it was with Ruth. Long before Peter’s vision in Acts 10 when the Lord’s voice said, “What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy”, God has always been concerned for the heart. Ruth, like Abraham, and like her great grandson King David, were people after God’s own heart. The world awaited the arrival of Ruth’s descendant, according to the flesh, the Messiah—Jesus Christ.
When we take the bread and the fruit of the vine in communion, we are acknowledging that here “there is no distinction between Gentile and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, brave and freeman, but Christ is all and in all.” Col.3:11
Every soul redeemed is a cause for joy. Naomi didn’t know it at the time, but the tears and the life she had sown through Ruth, culminated in an armful of blessing to Naomi, in her present, immediate circumstance. For the world, Bethlehem was truly once again “the house of bread”in a much larger sense. The Bread of Life that was born on that first Christmas Eve would later declare in His manhood, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.” (John 6:35). That is worth a shout of joy, in any generation!
Questions To Think About
1. Who can you say in your personal life that you’ve influenced for Christ, just as Naomi did for Ruth?
By Chuck Harris
January 2025
“Those who sow in tears shall reap with joyful shouting. He who goes to and fro weeping, carrying his bag of seed, Shall indeed come again with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.” Psalm 126: 5-6
“For where you go, I will go , and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried.”
Ruth 1: 16-17
Is anyone curious about how a Gentile woman was honored by having a whole book in the Hebrew Scriptures named after her? What was God thinking?
It was the times of the Judges, when there was no king in Israel; and when everyone did what was right in his own eyes. ( Very much like it is today in our own world. )
In Bethlehem, there was famine in the land. Naomi and her husband, Elimelech, went in search for food for themselves and their boys, because there was no bread in the “house of bread”, which is what Bethlehem means.
They settled in the land east of Judah , in Moab.
And there was bread in Moab, but the price was exorbitant, for with it came the devastating grief over the next ten years of the death of Elimelech and the subsequent death of their two sons. Through a river of tears, Naomi and her two Moabite daughters-in-law started on their way back to Bethlehem, for they had heard that there was no more famine there.
Now Ruth had been observing her mother-in-law’s life. She admired the courage and grace she saw in Naomi during the death of her husband, and noted the personal impact the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob had in her life. Unlike their idol Chemosh, the fish god of the Moabites, also known as “the destroyer”, with his implacable demands, Naomi’s God wanted to “tabernacle” with His people and care for them. Naomi had rehearsed the exodus of her people with her daughters-in-law, from slavery in Egypt and how their God had wonderfully wrought a great deliverance from the Egyptians by the blood of the Passover lamb. How God had personally led His people through the desert wilderness in the form of a pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night. How different was the God of Naomi! There was no comparison to the self-serving Moabite god Chemosh. Ruth saw the same strength exhibited when Naomi lost her sons later on, and Naomi’s silent witness, more than anything she had said, was seed sown in good, prepared ground, in Ruth’s heart..
Naomi’s testimony moved Ruth to say, against her mother-in-law insistence that she return to Moab along with sister-in-law , “…Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God.”
God had the Gentiles on His mind all along. Abraham was a Gentile before the Lord called him out from Ur of the Chaldeans.(Gen.12:1-3) “ Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” (Rom.4:3-4) And so it was with Ruth. Long before Peter’s vision in Acts 10 when the Lord’s voice said, “What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy”, God has always been concerned for the heart. Ruth, like Abraham, and like her great grandson King David, were people after God’s own heart. The world awaited the arrival of Ruth’s descendant, according to the flesh, the Messiah—Jesus Christ.
When we take the bread and the fruit of the vine in communion, we are acknowledging that here “there is no distinction between Gentile and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, brave and freeman, but Christ is all and in all.” Col.3:11
Every soul redeemed is a cause for joy. Naomi didn’t know it at the time, but the tears and the life she had sown through Ruth, culminated in an armful of blessing to Naomi, in her present, immediate circumstance. For the world, Bethlehem was truly once again “the house of bread”in a much larger sense. The Bread of Life that was born on that first Christmas Eve would later declare in His manhood, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.” (John 6:35). That is worth a shout of joy, in any generation!
Questions To Think About
1. Who can you say in your personal life that you’ve influenced for Christ, just as Naomi did for Ruth?
2024
Learning Obedience
March 2024
Learning Obedience
By Chuck Harris
“During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the One who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered….” Heb.5:7-8
We wear arm bracelets saying “Do as God Does.” Eph.5:1. We aspire to be as Jesus is, but are we willing to do as He did. Read the scripture again: “…Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered.” Now if the Son of God learned obedience from what He suffered, how can we think we can learn obedience any other way? We attend athletic training camps so we can be a better football player or basketball player,etc, and we come with the expectation that it will cost us in terms of blood, sweat and tears. We willingly submit to the discipline of our coaches, and we learn obedience from the suffering required in the process of becoming a better athlete .
God has something more in mind than athletics as His grace prosecutes His purpose in our lives. As Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 11:26 concerning the last supper with His disciples; “For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.”
He was talking about the Cross. When Jesus had the last supper with His disciples, He foreshadowed His death ; His broken body the bread, His shed blood the wine. in “bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered…So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.” (Heb.2:10-11)
Like Jesus, we “can consider it pure joy…whenever [we] face trials of many kinds because [we] know that testing produces patience.” (James 1:2-3)
I can say with full strength of heart, for all my recent trials, daunting as they may be, I would not trade anything for the sweetness of Jesus and His fellowship through it all. Patience is doing its perfect work. I hold out the hope to all my brethren that we will not kick against the pricks, but “forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, that [we] press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called [us] heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Phi.: 13-14)
Questions to Think About
Learning Obedience
By Chuck Harris
“During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the One who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered….” Heb.5:7-8
We wear arm bracelets saying “Do as God Does.” Eph.5:1. We aspire to be as Jesus is, but are we willing to do as He did. Read the scripture again: “…Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered.” Now if the Son of God learned obedience from what He suffered, how can we think we can learn obedience any other way? We attend athletic training camps so we can be a better football player or basketball player,etc, and we come with the expectation that it will cost us in terms of blood, sweat and tears. We willingly submit to the discipline of our coaches, and we learn obedience from the suffering required in the process of becoming a better athlete .
God has something more in mind than athletics as His grace prosecutes His purpose in our lives. As Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 11:26 concerning the last supper with His disciples; “For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.”
He was talking about the Cross. When Jesus had the last supper with His disciples, He foreshadowed His death ; His broken body the bread, His shed blood the wine. in “bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered…So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.” (Heb.2:10-11)
Like Jesus, we “can consider it pure joy…whenever [we] face trials of many kinds because [we] know that testing produces patience.” (James 1:2-3)
I can say with full strength of heart, for all my recent trials, daunting as they may be, I would not trade anything for the sweetness of Jesus and His fellowship through it all. Patience is doing its perfect work. I hold out the hope to all my brethren that we will not kick against the pricks, but “forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, that [we] press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called [us] heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Phi.: 13-14)
Questions to Think About
- How is communion a reminder of what we are called to in Gal.2:20 ?
- What goal in your life have you been willing to pay the price of blood, sweat and tears? Was it worth it?
O Glorious Proclamation!
April 2024
O Glorious Proclamation!
By Karen Harris
“For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. (1 Corinthians 11:23-26 ESV)
On Thursday, September 8th, 2022, the world was told that Queen Elizabeth II, the longest reigning British monarch, passed at age 96. The official announcement was posted on the door of the gate at Buckingham Palace: “The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon. The King and the Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.” Though brief, this proclamation went throughout the country of England, the realms, the Commonwealth, and the world. The Queen held the respect and deep affection of many. Yet almost two years after the grand State Funeral at Westminster Abbey ended, where tributes were made to her extraordinary reign and remarkable life of service, life continues…business as usual. Her death is rarely spoken of.
Regarding the death of Christ, however, the apostle Paul tells us, “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”
It’s significant that he speaks here of the repetitive and continual proclamation of Christ’s death. Why is this important? Each time you and I partake of the Lord’s Supper, we make a public announcement of Jesus’ death and our personal identification with it. We declare not only the fact that He died, but also all that it means.
Shortly after my fifteenth birthday, I partook of Communion for the first time. I was told that since I had reached that age, it was time for me to do so so that I could become a member of the church. I complied, but had little to no understanding of what it really meant. For me, it was mere ritual and fulfillment of expectation. Now that I’ve come into a personal relationship with the Lord, my entire understanding and approach to Communion has changed. This has taken my relationship with Him to a deeper, more intimate level. It’s become an occasion of true worship, with gratitude for all He has done to bring me to Himself, as well as means of spiritual warfare.
When we “eat this bread and drink the cup,” we proclaim the power of the Lord’s death to save. We proclaim it’s effectiveness to redeem us and reconcile us to God (Rom 5:10-11). Who do we proclaim it to? We proclaim it throughout the realm of His reign. To the angels who long to see and understand this mystery (1 Pet 1:12). To the demonic realm, whom Jesus disarmed and put to open shame, reminding them of their defeat (Col 2:15). To unbelievers, that they may know there is a Redeemer. And to ourselves, to remind us that He paid sin’s penalty for us, in our place. Oh, what power there is in the proclamation! We don’t have to be eloquent speakers. Each time we eat the bread and drink the cup, this grand and glorious truth reverberates throughout creation.
Questions for Reflection:
O Glorious Proclamation!
By Karen Harris
“For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. (1 Corinthians 11:23-26 ESV)
On Thursday, September 8th, 2022, the world was told that Queen Elizabeth II, the longest reigning British monarch, passed at age 96. The official announcement was posted on the door of the gate at Buckingham Palace: “The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon. The King and the Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.” Though brief, this proclamation went throughout the country of England, the realms, the Commonwealth, and the world. The Queen held the respect and deep affection of many. Yet almost two years after the grand State Funeral at Westminster Abbey ended, where tributes were made to her extraordinary reign and remarkable life of service, life continues…business as usual. Her death is rarely spoken of.
Regarding the death of Christ, however, the apostle Paul tells us, “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”
It’s significant that he speaks here of the repetitive and continual proclamation of Christ’s death. Why is this important? Each time you and I partake of the Lord’s Supper, we make a public announcement of Jesus’ death and our personal identification with it. We declare not only the fact that He died, but also all that it means.
Shortly after my fifteenth birthday, I partook of Communion for the first time. I was told that since I had reached that age, it was time for me to do so so that I could become a member of the church. I complied, but had little to no understanding of what it really meant. For me, it was mere ritual and fulfillment of expectation. Now that I’ve come into a personal relationship with the Lord, my entire understanding and approach to Communion has changed. This has taken my relationship with Him to a deeper, more intimate level. It’s become an occasion of true worship, with gratitude for all He has done to bring me to Himself, as well as means of spiritual warfare.
When we “eat this bread and drink the cup,” we proclaim the power of the Lord’s death to save. We proclaim it’s effectiveness to redeem us and reconcile us to God (Rom 5:10-11). Who do we proclaim it to? We proclaim it throughout the realm of His reign. To the angels who long to see and understand this mystery (1 Pet 1:12). To the demonic realm, whom Jesus disarmed and put to open shame, reminding them of their defeat (Col 2:15). To unbelievers, that they may know there is a Redeemer. And to ourselves, to remind us that He paid sin’s penalty for us, in our place. Oh, what power there is in the proclamation! We don’t have to be eloquent speakers. Each time we eat the bread and drink the cup, this grand and glorious truth reverberates throughout creation.
Questions for Reflection:
- What message do you think that Communion sends to the angels?
- What message do you think that it sends to the demonic realm?
Anticipation
May 2024
Anticipation
By Chuck Harris
“I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new you in my Father’s kingdom.” Matthew 26:28-29
In the economy of God, Jesus doesn’t waste words.
At the start of his earthy ministry, He quoted Isaiah 61:1-2, “…The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor, He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners , to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor…”. In Luke 4:18-19, we read that Jesus closed the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down…He began by saying to them “Today this scripture is fulfilled in fulfilled in your hearing.”
Jesus stopped mid-verse and did not read the end of the sentence. The part of the Isaiah 61:1-2, that Jesus did not read because it was yet unfulfilled was;“…the day of vengeance of our God.”
In the same way, at the Passover Seder (the Last Supper), it is important what the Lord did, and more significantly, what He didn’t do.
At the Passover Seder, the wine is traditionally served in 4 vessels, to correspond to the four promises made by God in Exodus 6:6: “I will bring you out (of Egypt)”, “I will deliver you from being slaves to them”, “and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm”.
The fourth cup corresponds to the fourth promise ,”I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God .”
Jesus is thought to have made this remark between the third and fourth cup, “For I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the Kingdom of God comes.” The forth cup will be left untouched by the Lord in anticipation of His wedding day. For in that day, tradition holds, we will celebrate the consummation of our salvation with our Bridegroom at last.
I remember during the weeks before our wedding day (45 years ago) , I picked up my Bride-to-be from her job where she was assistant branch manager of a bank in Springfield, Virginia. While she completed some business with a customer, I sat at her desk and was amused by some writing on her desk blotter. There in beautiful cursive handwriting she had written “Karen Marcia Harris”, “Karen Brown Harris”, “Karen Marcia Brown Harris”, “Mrs. Charles Harris”, and several other iterations with flowery embellishments. I was moved by these musings in anticipation of our marriage, and of her love for me.
Jesus, in like manner, eagerly anticipates His wedding to His Bride, when the Lord will finally “take [us] as His own people, and I will be your God.” “How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand.” (Ps.139:17-18) So too are we; everyone of us, individually, and personally, on the mind of God. More than the grains of sand! This same God, who has created the 200 sextillion stars in the universe and Who called them all by name; (Is.40:26), surely knows every one of the 8 billion human beings on planet earth by name. He especially draws near to the ones who want to know Him.
He has pledged to wait for us in anticipation of when He drinks the wine anew with us in His Father’s kingdom. When we take the bread and the wine as a memorial to His sacrifice, let us never forget Who it is that waits for us.
Questions To Think About
Anticipation
By Chuck Harris
“I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new you in my Father’s kingdom.” Matthew 26:28-29
In the economy of God, Jesus doesn’t waste words.
At the start of his earthy ministry, He quoted Isaiah 61:1-2, “…The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor, He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners , to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor…”. In Luke 4:18-19, we read that Jesus closed the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down…He began by saying to them “Today this scripture is fulfilled in fulfilled in your hearing.”
Jesus stopped mid-verse and did not read the end of the sentence. The part of the Isaiah 61:1-2, that Jesus did not read because it was yet unfulfilled was;“…the day of vengeance of our God.”
In the same way, at the Passover Seder (the Last Supper), it is important what the Lord did, and more significantly, what He didn’t do.
At the Passover Seder, the wine is traditionally served in 4 vessels, to correspond to the four promises made by God in Exodus 6:6: “I will bring you out (of Egypt)”, “I will deliver you from being slaves to them”, “and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm”.
The fourth cup corresponds to the fourth promise ,”I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God .”
Jesus is thought to have made this remark between the third and fourth cup, “For I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the Kingdom of God comes.” The forth cup will be left untouched by the Lord in anticipation of His wedding day. For in that day, tradition holds, we will celebrate the consummation of our salvation with our Bridegroom at last.
I remember during the weeks before our wedding day (45 years ago) , I picked up my Bride-to-be from her job where she was assistant branch manager of a bank in Springfield, Virginia. While she completed some business with a customer, I sat at her desk and was amused by some writing on her desk blotter. There in beautiful cursive handwriting she had written “Karen Marcia Harris”, “Karen Brown Harris”, “Karen Marcia Brown Harris”, “Mrs. Charles Harris”, and several other iterations with flowery embellishments. I was moved by these musings in anticipation of our marriage, and of her love for me.
Jesus, in like manner, eagerly anticipates His wedding to His Bride, when the Lord will finally “take [us] as His own people, and I will be your God.” “How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand.” (Ps.139:17-18) So too are we; everyone of us, individually, and personally, on the mind of God. More than the grains of sand! This same God, who has created the 200 sextillion stars in the universe and Who called them all by name; (Is.40:26), surely knows every one of the 8 billion human beings on planet earth by name. He especially draws near to the ones who want to know Him.
He has pledged to wait for us in anticipation of when He drinks the wine anew with us in His Father’s kingdom. When we take the bread and the wine as a memorial to His sacrifice, let us never forget Who it is that waits for us.
Questions To Think About
- In your life, how has something you eagerly anticipated affected your priorities? How does this relate to Phil.3:7-8?
- How does knowing that you are on the mind of God (Psalm 139:17-18) and Who has prepared a place for us, affected your prayer and thought life?
The Heart of God
June 2024
The Heart of God
By Chuck Harris
“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” Rev.3:20
Here is encapsulated the very heart of God and is the theme of all of Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation. The Creator is simply wanting to fellowship with His prized creation; mankind.
The vociferous atheist, Richard Dawkins, was asked by one interviewer what he would say to the Lord regarding why he doubted His existence. Dawkins responded with a quote from Bertrand Russell: “Sir, why did you take such great pains to hide Yourself?”
Hide Yourself?! As if it is not enough that “the heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.”(Psa. 19:1) or that “… since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made…”(Rom.1:20) are not sufficient to get the attention of an unbelieving world, the Lord says “Here I AM!”
He even cries to His own people, “Here I am!”, from outside the door of His Church at Laodicea. Though the Lord was clearly disappointed with His people, He still offered her white clothes to wear to cover her shameful nakedness, just like He did for Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden.
And what does He want? To break bread with us! A dinner for two! In the Middle Eastern culture, breaking bread is key to strengthening relationships and fostering unity. Here is a picture of the Omnipotent God knocking, seeking an invitation from us, mere creatures, to go the next level of trust in our walk with Him.
It is especially poignant that, knowing what the breaking of bread represented, Jesus ironically identified the disciple who would betray Him at the Last Supper.
You don’t have to be a veteran disciple to be a casualty of betrayal. It is the price of love. And it hurts. I was helped in the process of recovery by two key factors. One is the character of Christ Himself. Isaiah describes the Messiah in this manner: “Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and He will bring justice to the nations. He will not or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets. A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out…” (Isa.42:1-3) No hurt I’ve ever sustained in my life can be compared to those of Christ. How did He respond? “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34)
The other help came from the sage wisdom of C.S.Lewis, who said in his book, The Four Loves: “To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything , and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies, and little luxuries, avoid all entanglements; lock it safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness.
But in that casket—safe, dark, motionless, airless —it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable…” God can heal a broken heart. But the self-protective lovelessness we can hide behind as defensive armor can hinder the healing we need.
“By this shall all men know that you are My disciples when they can see how you love one another” (Jn 13:34). As we partake of the wine and bread in communion, we honor our God who found us worthy of the price of love.
Questions to Think About
1. Have you ever had your heart broken where you were tempted to lock it up safe in the casket of self-protective lovelessness? How’d that work out?
The Heart of God
By Chuck Harris
“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” Rev.3:20
Here is encapsulated the very heart of God and is the theme of all of Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation. The Creator is simply wanting to fellowship with His prized creation; mankind.
The vociferous atheist, Richard Dawkins, was asked by one interviewer what he would say to the Lord regarding why he doubted His existence. Dawkins responded with a quote from Bertrand Russell: “Sir, why did you take such great pains to hide Yourself?”
Hide Yourself?! As if it is not enough that “the heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.”(Psa. 19:1) or that “… since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made…”(Rom.1:20) are not sufficient to get the attention of an unbelieving world, the Lord says “Here I AM!”
He even cries to His own people, “Here I am!”, from outside the door of His Church at Laodicea. Though the Lord was clearly disappointed with His people, He still offered her white clothes to wear to cover her shameful nakedness, just like He did for Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden.
And what does He want? To break bread with us! A dinner for two! In the Middle Eastern culture, breaking bread is key to strengthening relationships and fostering unity. Here is a picture of the Omnipotent God knocking, seeking an invitation from us, mere creatures, to go the next level of trust in our walk with Him.
It is especially poignant that, knowing what the breaking of bread represented, Jesus ironically identified the disciple who would betray Him at the Last Supper.
You don’t have to be a veteran disciple to be a casualty of betrayal. It is the price of love. And it hurts. I was helped in the process of recovery by two key factors. One is the character of Christ Himself. Isaiah describes the Messiah in this manner: “Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and He will bring justice to the nations. He will not or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets. A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out…” (Isa.42:1-3) No hurt I’ve ever sustained in my life can be compared to those of Christ. How did He respond? “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34)
The other help came from the sage wisdom of C.S.Lewis, who said in his book, The Four Loves: “To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything , and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies, and little luxuries, avoid all entanglements; lock it safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness.
But in that casket—safe, dark, motionless, airless —it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable…” God can heal a broken heart. But the self-protective lovelessness we can hide behind as defensive armor can hinder the healing we need.
“By this shall all men know that you are My disciples when they can see how you love one another” (Jn 13:34). As we partake of the wine and bread in communion, we honor our God who found us worthy of the price of love.
Questions to Think About
1. Have you ever had your heart broken where you were tempted to lock it up safe in the casket of self-protective lovelessness? How’d that work out?
Don't Miss the Joy
July 2024
Don't Miss the Joy
By Chuck Harris
Nehemiah said,” Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Neh.8:10
“But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right at the hand of God. “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” Acts 7:55-56
Our God is a consummate teacher. From the time we open our eyes to the time when we close our eyelids to sleep, God is teaching us. If we have ears to hear and eyes to see, God is using the classroom of our lives to teach us about Himself; what He gets excited about, what pleases Him, when we feel the smile of God on our lives.
Eric Liddle, the Olympic runner from Scotland, said it best. When he was explaining to his sister, Jennie, why it was so important that he run in the Olympics: He said, “I know God made me for a purpose —for the mission in China, to work in the ministry with you and Dad,… But He also made me fast; and I when I run, I can feel His pleasure!”
I will never forget the lesson I learned on the college football field. I was a “roving” linebacker who was charged with responsibility of stopping the opposing team ballcarrier once he got past the line of scrimmage. Once the ball was snapped, I could see the play was coming my way. The ballcarrier had two good-sized blockers running in front of him. For reasons that escape me now, I dove between the two blockers and collided with the ballcarrier in a helmet-to-helmet hit that ended play. My head was swimming as I lay on the ground, where I was attempting to get my bearings. But I could see our sideline, and our coach jumping up and down, punching the air enthusiastically with “Attaboys”. I jumped up, shook it off, and got back in the game. My coach’s joy was my strength.
In the same way, Stephen, in a contest with higher stakes than a college football game, stopped an “end run” of lies with the truth. He rehearsed Israel’s history for the benefit of his accusers, pointing out that from the time of Joseph and Moses and the wandering in the wilderness, “You are just like your ancestors : you always resisted the Holy Spirit! Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of The
Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered Him—you who have received the law that was given through angels but have not obeyed it.”
When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious. But their outrage was overshadowed by an event in heaven. Stephen looked up, and the previously seated Son of Man,( Heb.1:3, 10:12, 12:2 ) was now standing at the right hand of God. Stephen was getting a standing ovation from the Lord he loved! And that is all he needed to carry him through the death by stoning that followed. The Lord’s joy was Stephen’s strength.
God gets emotional when his people do what pleases Him, as a parent or coach do when their word is carried out, despite the costs incurred because of their obedience.
When we take communion, we join the body of believers who are of like heart and mind. We live to please Him. His joy is our strength.
Questions to Think About
Don't Miss the Joy
By Chuck Harris
Nehemiah said,” Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Neh.8:10
“But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right at the hand of God. “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” Acts 7:55-56
Our God is a consummate teacher. From the time we open our eyes to the time when we close our eyelids to sleep, God is teaching us. If we have ears to hear and eyes to see, God is using the classroom of our lives to teach us about Himself; what He gets excited about, what pleases Him, when we feel the smile of God on our lives.
Eric Liddle, the Olympic runner from Scotland, said it best. When he was explaining to his sister, Jennie, why it was so important that he run in the Olympics: He said, “I know God made me for a purpose —for the mission in China, to work in the ministry with you and Dad,… But He also made me fast; and I when I run, I can feel His pleasure!”
I will never forget the lesson I learned on the college football field. I was a “roving” linebacker who was charged with responsibility of stopping the opposing team ballcarrier once he got past the line of scrimmage. Once the ball was snapped, I could see the play was coming my way. The ballcarrier had two good-sized blockers running in front of him. For reasons that escape me now, I dove between the two blockers and collided with the ballcarrier in a helmet-to-helmet hit that ended play. My head was swimming as I lay on the ground, where I was attempting to get my bearings. But I could see our sideline, and our coach jumping up and down, punching the air enthusiastically with “Attaboys”. I jumped up, shook it off, and got back in the game. My coach’s joy was my strength.
In the same way, Stephen, in a contest with higher stakes than a college football game, stopped an “end run” of lies with the truth. He rehearsed Israel’s history for the benefit of his accusers, pointing out that from the time of Joseph and Moses and the wandering in the wilderness, “You are just like your ancestors : you always resisted the Holy Spirit! Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of The
Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered Him—you who have received the law that was given through angels but have not obeyed it.”
When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious. But their outrage was overshadowed by an event in heaven. Stephen looked up, and the previously seated Son of Man,( Heb.1:3, 10:12, 12:2 ) was now standing at the right hand of God. Stephen was getting a standing ovation from the Lord he loved! And that is all he needed to carry him through the death by stoning that followed. The Lord’s joy was Stephen’s strength.
God gets emotional when his people do what pleases Him, as a parent or coach do when their word is carried out, despite the costs incurred because of their obedience.
When we take communion, we join the body of believers who are of like heart and mind. We live to please Him. His joy is our strength.
Questions to Think About
- What is the main motivating factor in your life?
- What is the thing in your life that, when you do it, you feel it gives God pleasure?
You Are What You Eat
You Are What You Eat
By Karen Harris
August 2024
“So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.” (John 6:53-56)
Since becoming a vegan about five years ago, it’s been quite a challenge for me to find restaurants that cater to this lifestyle. Many restaurants accommodate the meat-eater, but finding a vegan-friendly place is like searching for a needle in a haystack! When vacationing in Florida a few years ago, I was thrilled after a long search to finally find a restaurant called, “True Food Kitchen,” which provided vegan options that were both healthy and delicious. It states on their website: “We are on a mission to make it easier for more people to eat more real food. We are focused on using whole or minimally processed food in everything we make.” Great! I was a happy camper! “But isn’t all food real food,” you ask? I think most of us know the answer to that question. True food is life-sustaining. It’s one of the basic necessities of life, containing nutrients essential for the growth, repair, and maintenance of body tissues and for the regulation of vital processes. True food works for you and not against you. And in a very real sense, as the saying goes, “you are what you eat.” Nutrients from the food we ingest provide the foundation of the structure, function, and wholeness of every cell in our body. In fact, the health of our cells is directly determined by how well we’ve been eating. So, while eating potato chips might not turn you into a potato chip, the chip’s properties do get broken down and absorbed into the body’s blood, muscles, fat, and organs. We can understand this from a physical standpoint, but the same concept is true spiritually.
In responding to His disciples and referring to Himself, Jesus said, “Truly, truly I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink.”
Jesus was not referring here to the literal eating of flesh and drinking of blood, for that would have been cannibalistic and was strictly forbidden in the Torah (Lev 17:10-14). But He uses figurative language here to convey a spiritual truth. He’s saying unless you receive - that’s what “eat” and “drink” here means - unless you receive, take in by faith, and appropriate My flesh and My blood with all that it means and has accomplished, you have no spiritual life in you. In other words, unless you personally accept His incarnation and blood-atoning death as fact, you will never have eternal life. Eternal life is a matter of believing that Jesus is God who came in human flesh and died a substitutionary, atoning, sacrificial death for our sin. “Eating” His flesh is to acknowledge, believe and receive this. “Drinking” His blood is to accept, acknowledge, and appropriate by faith His blood that was shed for the remission of our sins (Matt 26:28). And rather than just a one-time act, this “eating” and “drinking” is to be continual. According to Jesus, when we feast on Him in this way, something supernatural and wonderful takes place. We’re infused with eternal life and we enter into a relationship with Him that is so intimate, that we literally abide in Him and He in us (vs. 56).
So when we partake of the Lord’s Supper, receiving the bread representing His body broken for us and the wine or juice representing His blood shed for us, we participate in a symbolic, outward sign of inward faith and acceptance. It’s a spiritual reality that allows us to intimately connect with Jesus in a way that is life-infusing and lasts forever. This is true food indeed!
For Reflection:
By Karen Harris
August 2024
“So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.” (John 6:53-56)
Since becoming a vegan about five years ago, it’s been quite a challenge for me to find restaurants that cater to this lifestyle. Many restaurants accommodate the meat-eater, but finding a vegan-friendly place is like searching for a needle in a haystack! When vacationing in Florida a few years ago, I was thrilled after a long search to finally find a restaurant called, “True Food Kitchen,” which provided vegan options that were both healthy and delicious. It states on their website: “We are on a mission to make it easier for more people to eat more real food. We are focused on using whole or minimally processed food in everything we make.” Great! I was a happy camper! “But isn’t all food real food,” you ask? I think most of us know the answer to that question. True food is life-sustaining. It’s one of the basic necessities of life, containing nutrients essential for the growth, repair, and maintenance of body tissues and for the regulation of vital processes. True food works for you and not against you. And in a very real sense, as the saying goes, “you are what you eat.” Nutrients from the food we ingest provide the foundation of the structure, function, and wholeness of every cell in our body. In fact, the health of our cells is directly determined by how well we’ve been eating. So, while eating potato chips might not turn you into a potato chip, the chip’s properties do get broken down and absorbed into the body’s blood, muscles, fat, and organs. We can understand this from a physical standpoint, but the same concept is true spiritually.
In responding to His disciples and referring to Himself, Jesus said, “Truly, truly I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink.”
Jesus was not referring here to the literal eating of flesh and drinking of blood, for that would have been cannibalistic and was strictly forbidden in the Torah (Lev 17:10-14). But He uses figurative language here to convey a spiritual truth. He’s saying unless you receive - that’s what “eat” and “drink” here means - unless you receive, take in by faith, and appropriate My flesh and My blood with all that it means and has accomplished, you have no spiritual life in you. In other words, unless you personally accept His incarnation and blood-atoning death as fact, you will never have eternal life. Eternal life is a matter of believing that Jesus is God who came in human flesh and died a substitutionary, atoning, sacrificial death for our sin. “Eating” His flesh is to acknowledge, believe and receive this. “Drinking” His blood is to accept, acknowledge, and appropriate by faith His blood that was shed for the remission of our sins (Matt 26:28). And rather than just a one-time act, this “eating” and “drinking” is to be continual. According to Jesus, when we feast on Him in this way, something supernatural and wonderful takes place. We’re infused with eternal life and we enter into a relationship with Him that is so intimate, that we literally abide in Him and He in us (vs. 56).
So when we partake of the Lord’s Supper, receiving the bread representing His body broken for us and the wine or juice representing His blood shed for us, we participate in a symbolic, outward sign of inward faith and acceptance. It’s a spiritual reality that allows us to intimately connect with Jesus in a way that is life-infusing and lasts forever. This is true food indeed!
For Reflection:
- What does your spiritual diet look like? Do you think it’s sufficient to sustain you for the long haul?
- What are some “false foods” that you’ve looked to for sustenance and satisfaction that have failed you?
- How much is fellowship with Jesus a part of your daily life?
- What are some things you can do to ensure that you’re eating and drinking of Jesus continually?
The God Who Sees
The God Who Sees
By Chuck Harris
September 2024
“Then she [Hagar] called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, ‘You are a God who sees,’… Gen.16:13
“For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the bondwoman and one by the free. But the son by the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and the son by the free woman through the promise.” Galatians 4:22
The present war in Gaza is but a continuing tragic saga between the sons of Ismael (and their descendants —the Arab peoples) and the sons of Isaac (the Hebrews). Two half-brothers, one from an Egyptian mother and the other from a Hebrew mother, but with the same father, Abraham, acting out the age-old conflict mentioned in Galatians: “for the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, …”. This unfortunately translates into mountains of hate and rivers of blood.
The promise made to Abram was that “one will come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir.” …” Now look toward the heavens and count the stars…So shall your descendants be.” Abram was 85 years old when the Lord made that promise to him.
Now Abram and Sarai, when things were not happening as fast as they thought they should, came up with a bright idea “to help God out.” Enter Hagar, who was given to Abram by Sarai, her mistress, to fulfill “the promise.” And, according to plan, she conceived and ironically incurred the contempt of her mistress, whose idea it was in the first place. Hagar was forced to flee because of the harsh treatment she received from Sarai.
It was then that the angel of the Lord (a prefiguring of Christ) visited Hagar in the wilderness. For the first time in scripture, a baby was named before birth: " And you shall call his name Ishmael,” which means ‘God hears’. Hagar heard from the same God that David would write about in Psalm 139: “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your Presence?”
So, at the Lord’s instruction, she returned to her mistress, confident that the Lord “has searched her and known her…” and that she was continuously in God's mind.
Thirteen years had lapsed between the birth of Ishmael and the time when the Lord appeared to Abram again. There had been no word from God in the interval. The silence of God is testimony to His patience as Abram attempted to fulfill in the flesh what can only be accomplished in the spirit. We likewise protest like Abram to defend our schemes, our “bright ideas”: “Oh that Ishmael might live before You.” Even as God was promising him something far better with the miraculous birth of Isaac.
I have a half-brother, who is the fruit of my father’s scheme to circumvent the segregation barrier of the 1950s in this country. He was one of the American blacks who passed as white, and he wanted my mother to do the same. My mother refused to deny who she was, and this figured in the failure of their brief two-year marriage. My father married twice again to white women and fathered four more children- my half-brother and three half-sisters, who all thought that they were white. My brother and I were never mentioned and were left off the family tree.
To make a long story short, I discovered and met my father and all my half-siblings 12 years ago. My father was afraid of the anger and resentment he anticipated that my brother and I would harbor. This is where the story gets redemptive. The God who saw Hagar also saw my Mom and undertook her needs. My Mom came to know Christ, and so did my brother and me. I have the testimony that I have forgiven my father, and I have nothing but love for my half-brother and half-sisters.
No foreign policy or treaty in Gaza will heal the wounds that only the God of their mutual father, Abraham, can heal. As we share the bread and wine, let us remember that we are sons and daughters of Abraham by the free woman through the promise.
Questions To Think About
By Chuck Harris
September 2024
“Then she [Hagar] called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, ‘You are a God who sees,’… Gen.16:13
“For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the bondwoman and one by the free. But the son by the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and the son by the free woman through the promise.” Galatians 4:22
The present war in Gaza is but a continuing tragic saga between the sons of Ismael (and their descendants —the Arab peoples) and the sons of Isaac (the Hebrews). Two half-brothers, one from an Egyptian mother and the other from a Hebrew mother, but with the same father, Abraham, acting out the age-old conflict mentioned in Galatians: “for the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, …”. This unfortunately translates into mountains of hate and rivers of blood.
The promise made to Abram was that “one will come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir.” …” Now look toward the heavens and count the stars…So shall your descendants be.” Abram was 85 years old when the Lord made that promise to him.
Now Abram and Sarai, when things were not happening as fast as they thought they should, came up with a bright idea “to help God out.” Enter Hagar, who was given to Abram by Sarai, her mistress, to fulfill “the promise.” And, according to plan, she conceived and ironically incurred the contempt of her mistress, whose idea it was in the first place. Hagar was forced to flee because of the harsh treatment she received from Sarai.
It was then that the angel of the Lord (a prefiguring of Christ) visited Hagar in the wilderness. For the first time in scripture, a baby was named before birth: " And you shall call his name Ishmael,” which means ‘God hears’. Hagar heard from the same God that David would write about in Psalm 139: “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your Presence?”
So, at the Lord’s instruction, she returned to her mistress, confident that the Lord “has searched her and known her…” and that she was continuously in God's mind.
Thirteen years had lapsed between the birth of Ishmael and the time when the Lord appeared to Abram again. There had been no word from God in the interval. The silence of God is testimony to His patience as Abram attempted to fulfill in the flesh what can only be accomplished in the spirit. We likewise protest like Abram to defend our schemes, our “bright ideas”: “Oh that Ishmael might live before You.” Even as God was promising him something far better with the miraculous birth of Isaac.
I have a half-brother, who is the fruit of my father’s scheme to circumvent the segregation barrier of the 1950s in this country. He was one of the American blacks who passed as white, and he wanted my mother to do the same. My mother refused to deny who she was, and this figured in the failure of their brief two-year marriage. My father married twice again to white women and fathered four more children- my half-brother and three half-sisters, who all thought that they were white. My brother and I were never mentioned and were left off the family tree.
To make a long story short, I discovered and met my father and all my half-siblings 12 years ago. My father was afraid of the anger and resentment he anticipated that my brother and I would harbor. This is where the story gets redemptive. The God who saw Hagar also saw my Mom and undertook her needs. My Mom came to know Christ, and so did my brother and me. I have the testimony that I have forgiven my father, and I have nothing but love for my half-brother and half-sisters.
No foreign policy or treaty in Gaza will heal the wounds that only the God of their mutual father, Abraham, can heal. As we share the bread and wine, let us remember that we are sons and daughters of Abraham by the free woman through the promise.
Questions To Think About
- Have you ever tried to accomplish something through your own strength that only God can do through His Spirit? How’d it turn out?
- Did God see you in your difficulty, and without explaining yourself, you knew that He understood (as David did in Psalm 139)?
Home
Home
By Chuck Harris
October 2024
“Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.” Ecclesiastes 12:7
Home. The dictionary defines Home both as a point of origin and a goal or destination. So does the Bible. We, all of us, begin life from the same lifesource, God. From the trust-fund babies born in our finest medical centers, to the babies born in the grass huts of Haiti, to the test-tube babies born in artificial insemination laboratories, all of life has the same point of origin; God.
Thus begin our disparate, varied and myriad journeys of life with this one common denominator, as the Scriptures says, God “has set eternity in their hearts…” (Ecclesiastes 3:11), you might say, as a homing beacon. We were made for God, and “we are all restless”, Augustine said, “until we find our rest in Thee”.
In our nation, and our world, we find this to be true. Restless, and angry people abound today, much the same way we would when we find ourselves lost and frustrated when we cannot find our destination, and when even our Garmin is of no help. That is the time when our “homing beacon” kicks in; if we have eyes to see and ears to hear. In every country on earth, God has “made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and have our being…”
(Act 17:26-28)
All along our life journey we have landmarks to help us get our bearing. “The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night reveals knowledge, There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out though all the earth, And their words to the end of the world.” (Ps.19:1-4)
All of creation beckons us homeward.
Never has this truth become so personally relevant to me as it did on July 14, 2023.
It was a Friday. I had been retired from the practice of surgery for a little more than a year. My wife, Karen, and I were planning an outing during an uncrowded time, when most people were at work. When all of a sudden there was an earthquake, in my head. It seemed as though the roof of my skull caved in. I remember staggering from the bedroom to the kitchen where I collapsed in Karen’s arms, and that is when I lost consciousness .
In the twilight of that moment, in my head, I saw myself finishing a footrace, and I collapsed into the waiting arms of Jesus at the finish line. He didn’t say anything to me, but I knew who He was, because His face was shining as the sun shined in its strength. And I knew I was home.
Almost as soon as it appeared, it was gone, and I woke up in the ICU. I had a CVA — a cerebral vascular accident or “stroke”. I awakened to find Karen, and two close friends, surrounding my bed. As good as it was to see them, I must confess a great disappointment that I was not home.
That experience, though it was for only a moment, was emblazoned in my memory, and left me with a lingering homesickness.
When we gather together for communion, we acknowledge that this world is not our home. We remember what Jesus said; that He will not eat of the bread, or drink of wine until He can eat and drink together with us in our eternal home.( Luke 22:16) Until that day comes, we eat the bread and the drink of the fruit of the vine in anticipation when we will share this meal together with our Lord. As Ravenhill so aptly put it: “Eternal glories gleam afar to nerve my faint endeavor. So now to work, to watch, to war, and then to rest forever.” We will finally be at home.
Questions to Think About
By Chuck Harris
October 2024
“Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.” Ecclesiastes 12:7
Home. The dictionary defines Home both as a point of origin and a goal or destination. So does the Bible. We, all of us, begin life from the same lifesource, God. From the trust-fund babies born in our finest medical centers, to the babies born in the grass huts of Haiti, to the test-tube babies born in artificial insemination laboratories, all of life has the same point of origin; God.
Thus begin our disparate, varied and myriad journeys of life with this one common denominator, as the Scriptures says, God “has set eternity in their hearts…” (Ecclesiastes 3:11), you might say, as a homing beacon. We were made for God, and “we are all restless”, Augustine said, “until we find our rest in Thee”.
In our nation, and our world, we find this to be true. Restless, and angry people abound today, much the same way we would when we find ourselves lost and frustrated when we cannot find our destination, and when even our Garmin is of no help. That is the time when our “homing beacon” kicks in; if we have eyes to see and ears to hear. In every country on earth, God has “made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and have our being…”
(Act 17:26-28)
All along our life journey we have landmarks to help us get our bearing. “The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night reveals knowledge, There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out though all the earth, And their words to the end of the world.” (Ps.19:1-4)
All of creation beckons us homeward.
Never has this truth become so personally relevant to me as it did on July 14, 2023.
It was a Friday. I had been retired from the practice of surgery for a little more than a year. My wife, Karen, and I were planning an outing during an uncrowded time, when most people were at work. When all of a sudden there was an earthquake, in my head. It seemed as though the roof of my skull caved in. I remember staggering from the bedroom to the kitchen where I collapsed in Karen’s arms, and that is when I lost consciousness .
In the twilight of that moment, in my head, I saw myself finishing a footrace, and I collapsed into the waiting arms of Jesus at the finish line. He didn’t say anything to me, but I knew who He was, because His face was shining as the sun shined in its strength. And I knew I was home.
Almost as soon as it appeared, it was gone, and I woke up in the ICU. I had a CVA — a cerebral vascular accident or “stroke”. I awakened to find Karen, and two close friends, surrounding my bed. As good as it was to see them, I must confess a great disappointment that I was not home.
That experience, though it was for only a moment, was emblazoned in my memory, and left me with a lingering homesickness.
When we gather together for communion, we acknowledge that this world is not our home. We remember what Jesus said; that He will not eat of the bread, or drink of wine until He can eat and drink together with us in our eternal home.( Luke 22:16) Until that day comes, we eat the bread and the drink of the fruit of the vine in anticipation when we will share this meal together with our Lord. As Ravenhill so aptly put it: “Eternal glories gleam afar to nerve my faint endeavor. So now to work, to watch, to war, and then to rest forever.” We will finally be at home.
Questions to Think About
- You have eternity in your heart, as homing beacon. How has this affected your thought life, if at all?
- We are made to know God, and enjoy Him forever. Do we? If not, why not?
What Do You Want?
What Do You Want?
By Chuck Harris
November 2024
“When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?” They said, “Rabbi,”…” Where are You staying?” “Come,” He replied,” and you will see.” John 1:37-39
In the economy of God, Jesus doesn’t waste words. There were many who followed Him then, as now, for a myriad of reasons. “What do you want?” In a manner not confrontational, but gently inquiring, Jesus wanted them to be certain that they were on the same page. Motives like the “fire insurance” sought by the Pharisees and Sadducees, who John the Baptist warned; “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?” (Matt.3:7). Or others seeking to be confirmed in their self-righteousness, like the rich young ruler, (Matt.19:16-22) who were following Jesus for His imprimatur on their lives. Or, as we are prone to do in radical times , as there were then, we look for political leaders, like Theudas, or Judas the Galilean, as Gamaliel the Pharisee astutely pointed out from Israel’s history, (Act 5:36-37) and follow after them like lionized idols, only to find they have feet of clay.
“What do you want?” Jesus asked us to think. I am sure that Matthew , when posed this question directly or indirectly, answered from a more desperate need to be seen as more than a pariah dog, as tax collectors were referred to in those days. It is telling that only in Matthew’s gospel is there an account of his own meeting Jesus in this way; “He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office…” (Matthew 9:9). Jesus did not see a pariah dog, or a traitor, or any of the invectives Matthew had come to expect and steel himself from on a daily basis. Jesus “… saw a man named Matthew…” and it was the same Lord “…whose eyes saw his substance, being yet unformed, when he was still in his mother’s womb…. “(Ps.139:16) He sees me! That was all it took. It was what Matthew had been looking for all of his life. Here was a friend who sticks closer than a brother. “And he arose and followed Him.” He decided to take Jesus at His offer to “ come and see.”
I am sure that there was a twinkle in Jesus’ eye, as the Lord warmed in His heart to hear the disciples answered His question with another question, “Rabbi,…,where are You staying?” This personal inquiry to know Him more, far eclipsed the usual “what do you want” list of the mundane requests of health, wealth, and power. It is not the question of ‘what’, but ‘who’ is asking . This is what makes the heart of the ‘Bridegroom beat faster. (Song of Songs 4:9)
It is Who gave the Scriptures to us that speaks to us. “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.” (John 5:39-40)
“What do you want?” Jesus asks of us. “Rabbi,…where are You staying?”, we implore Him. In the same spirit of Ruth, we say “For where you go, I will go; and wherever you lodge, I will lodge;…Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried” (Ruth 1:16). This directly coincides with the desire of the Lord’s heart; “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because You loved Me before the creation of the world.” (John 17:24)
Jesus is everything that we could hope for. As the Scriptures say: …“that [all mankind] might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and have our being..” (Acts 17:27-28) As we share the elements of the communion table, we can look forward to the day when we can share it with our Lord, in person. To us, and to whosoever wills, He says, “Come and see.”
Questions to Think About
By Chuck Harris
November 2024
“When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?” They said, “Rabbi,”…” Where are You staying?” “Come,” He replied,” and you will see.” John 1:37-39
In the economy of God, Jesus doesn’t waste words. There were many who followed Him then, as now, for a myriad of reasons. “What do you want?” In a manner not confrontational, but gently inquiring, Jesus wanted them to be certain that they were on the same page. Motives like the “fire insurance” sought by the Pharisees and Sadducees, who John the Baptist warned; “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?” (Matt.3:7). Or others seeking to be confirmed in their self-righteousness, like the rich young ruler, (Matt.19:16-22) who were following Jesus for His imprimatur on their lives. Or, as we are prone to do in radical times , as there were then, we look for political leaders, like Theudas, or Judas the Galilean, as Gamaliel the Pharisee astutely pointed out from Israel’s history, (Act 5:36-37) and follow after them like lionized idols, only to find they have feet of clay.
“What do you want?” Jesus asked us to think. I am sure that Matthew , when posed this question directly or indirectly, answered from a more desperate need to be seen as more than a pariah dog, as tax collectors were referred to in those days. It is telling that only in Matthew’s gospel is there an account of his own meeting Jesus in this way; “He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office…” (Matthew 9:9). Jesus did not see a pariah dog, or a traitor, or any of the invectives Matthew had come to expect and steel himself from on a daily basis. Jesus “… saw a man named Matthew…” and it was the same Lord “…whose eyes saw his substance, being yet unformed, when he was still in his mother’s womb…. “(Ps.139:16) He sees me! That was all it took. It was what Matthew had been looking for all of his life. Here was a friend who sticks closer than a brother. “And he arose and followed Him.” He decided to take Jesus at His offer to “ come and see.”
I am sure that there was a twinkle in Jesus’ eye, as the Lord warmed in His heart to hear the disciples answered His question with another question, “Rabbi,…,where are You staying?” This personal inquiry to know Him more, far eclipsed the usual “what do you want” list of the mundane requests of health, wealth, and power. It is not the question of ‘what’, but ‘who’ is asking . This is what makes the heart of the ‘Bridegroom beat faster. (Song of Songs 4:9)
It is Who gave the Scriptures to us that speaks to us. “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.” (John 5:39-40)
“What do you want?” Jesus asks of us. “Rabbi,…where are You staying?”, we implore Him. In the same spirit of Ruth, we say “For where you go, I will go; and wherever you lodge, I will lodge;…Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried” (Ruth 1:16). This directly coincides with the desire of the Lord’s heart; “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because You loved Me before the creation of the world.” (John 17:24)
Jesus is everything that we could hope for. As the Scriptures say: …“that [all mankind] might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and have our being..” (Acts 17:27-28) As we share the elements of the communion table, we can look forward to the day when we can share it with our Lord, in person. To us, and to whosoever wills, He says, “Come and see.”
Questions to Think About
- What do you want from Jesus?
- What would you give to follow the One who sees you; Who knows you better than you know yourself ?