My prayer, at the end of my last post, was partially, "teach me to be thankful." I recall praying that same prayer at a mealtime years ago, only it was "teach us how to be thankful." Afterward, someone very dear to me said, "Pray that for yourself if you want to, but be careful what you ask for." She knew that one way to be taught how to be thankful for food was to do without it. Although I never have, she has. My prayer has changed since to "teach me to be thankful."
Paul had learned this lesson. In the passage of Scripture in his letter to the Philippians, chapter 4, verses 10-19, he tells them (and us) that he had "learned to be content whatever the circumstances...whether well fed or hungry." (NIV) And, in the process, we are given two of the greatest promises in the New Testament--Philippians 4:13 and 4:19. Read them again. Commit them to memory.
All four gospel writers, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, wrote of Jesus feeding the 5000. Mark also adds the feeding of the 4000. The passover meal, called the "Lord's supper" or the "Last Supper" was recorded by all the gospel writers with only John omitting the prayer of thanks at the breaking of the bread and drinking of the "fruit of the vine." John, instead, spent a large portion of his gospel recording these most intimate moments of Jesus with his disciples. The entire 17th chapter of John is a prayer that will be looked at in detail in Part III, "Special Prayers of Jesus."
Only Luke writes about the meal Jesus had in Emmaus with followers, not of the 12, after His resurrection. Here, those followers recognized Him when He gave thanks for the food. They knew Him by His habits!!
*As a side note, we are known by our habits, too.*
We're talking about Jesus, the Son of God. This is the One about Whom John declared in John 1:3, "through Him all things were made..."(NIV). Jesus is also quoted by John in John 6:35, "I am the bread of life." (NIV) Truly God, but also truly man who made a habit of expressing his thanks for basic needs.
What better example could He set while on earth? What better lesson could we, as Christians, learn? What better way could we witness to the world around us, than through sincere and consistent expressions of thanks to God for our daily Bread?
Oh, to be like Thee, Blessed Redeemer...
Paul had learned this lesson. In the passage of Scripture in his letter to the Philippians, chapter 4, verses 10-19, he tells them (and us) that he had "learned to be content whatever the circumstances...whether well fed or hungry." (NIV) And, in the process, we are given two of the greatest promises in the New Testament--Philippians 4:13 and 4:19. Read them again. Commit them to memory.
All four gospel writers, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, wrote of Jesus feeding the 5000. Mark also adds the feeding of the 4000. The passover meal, called the "Lord's supper" or the "Last Supper" was recorded by all the gospel writers with only John omitting the prayer of thanks at the breaking of the bread and drinking of the "fruit of the vine." John, instead, spent a large portion of his gospel recording these most intimate moments of Jesus with his disciples. The entire 17th chapter of John is a prayer that will be looked at in detail in Part III, "Special Prayers of Jesus."
Only Luke writes about the meal Jesus had in Emmaus with followers, not of the 12, after His resurrection. Here, those followers recognized Him when He gave thanks for the food. They knew Him by His habits!!
*As a side note, we are known by our habits, too.*
We're talking about Jesus, the Son of God. This is the One about Whom John declared in John 1:3, "through Him all things were made..."(NIV). Jesus is also quoted by John in John 6:35, "I am the bread of life." (NIV) Truly God, but also truly man who made a habit of expressing his thanks for basic needs.
What better example could He set while on earth? What better lesson could we, as Christians, learn? What better way could we witness to the world around us, than through sincere and consistent expressions of thanks to God for our daily Bread?
Oh, to be like Thee, Blessed Redeemer...
No comments:
Post a Comment