Page 50 - Living Light Autumn 23

Friday October 27 - Breaking bread
The one who gathered much did not have too much... Exodus 16:18
The church leaders in Jerusalem trusted Barnabas, so attitudes to Saul changed. Just imagine that first morning of manna collection! It was like Easter and Christmas wrapped into one! A beautiful emphasis is that there was enough for everyone, whether you were a two-person family or a tribe of fifty.
A great joy of the Christian life is seeing the provision of God in the lives of other believers, being opposite to worldly envy and one-upmanship. Finding joy in the blessings of others gives life a whole new breadth of happiness. Jesus created a radical sharing community that eventually encompassed every tribe and nation, having equal access to the love, salvation, and provision of God. When the Holy Spirit came on the Gentiles at the house of Cornelius, the apostle Peter declared, “I now realise how true it is that God does not show favouritism” (Acts 10:34).
Acts also records that this new community was awe-inspiring, because the fledgling church, ‘...devoted themselves...to the fellowship...breaking bread...having everything in common...they shared with anyone who was in need...with one accord...sharing their meals with gladness and sincerity of heart’ (Acts 2:42-46).
One of our young ministers often talks about ‘doing life together’ as a church. I didn’t care for the phrase much at first, but I realise that he is just describing in modern terms what Exodus and Acts describe – God’s people, doing life together in God’s provision.
Lord, help me to resist being an island. I want to be part of this radical sharing community called the church. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Saturday October 28 - Seeking the bless-er
Then Moses said to them, “No-one is to keep any of it until morning. “
Exodus 16:19
A curious story in the sojourn of Israel is when poisonous snakes begin biting the congregation. God instructs Moses to fashion a brass serpent, placing it high in the middle of the camp. Anyone bitten could look at it and be healed (Numbers 21:6-9). There is, however, a strange sequel when, several hundred years later, King Hezekiah destroys the brass serpent because the Israelites now worshipped it with the burning of incense (2 Kings 18:4).
It is very easy for the provision of God to become our primary focus – seeking the blessing rather than the ‘bless-er’. Jesus called out people who were following him only because they had eaten their fill of bread that he had provided (John 6:26-27).
We may have come to faith with all kinds of wrong motivations, but spiritual growth means placing Jesus ‘front and centre’ in our lives. To describe this priority, and the manner of his death, Jesus says, “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up...” (John 3:14).
God told Israel not to hoard manna overnight. In our walk with Jesus, his mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23), and we should spend our days giving away grace, mercy, love and hope to everyone we meet. Jesus said it plainly: “Freely you have received, freely give” (Matthew 10:8).
Father, help me to freely receive and freely give, living fully in what you have provided for me and your church. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
PRAYER FOR TODAY
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PRAYER FOR TODAY