Embracing God’s Value of Intimate Communion by Relating with Him through the Lord’s Feast of Unleavened Bread
TRUTH AND PURPOSE
The Feast of Unleavened Bread provides a visual aid of the depth of what true communion with God is about. How so? God created mankind with relationships in mind. He, therefore, highly values His relationship with us. So He, likewise, wants us to value our relationship with Him. In addition, He encourages us to have quality relationships with one another.
So His hope is that we get to know Him intimately. This is because our relationship with Him is one to be experienced on the earth and for eternity in heaven. Therefore, this relationship, or union, is expressed through a way of abiding in Him. So it is a powerful way of engagement called communion– or intimate fellowship.
RELEVANCE
So God’s idea for a relationship with Him is a dynamic union flowing in His love and life—His Spirit. He desires quality relationships that will testify to His presence and active involvement with us. In fact, through Daniel, He made this point very clear. How so?
Daniel served the king of Babylon, the leader of the world’s greatest power of the day. So in prophesying to him, Daniel made one particular declaration loud and clear: “the Most High rules in the kingdom of men” (Daniel 4:32).
So more than expressing His dominion over the earth, God desires our heartfelt devotion. He, therefore, wants our time and attention. More so, He wants our heart. It’s how He reigns through us. As He does, we get to participate in His awesome works!
That’s why He seeks strong unions. In addition, it’s why He prayed before His closest disciples at the end of His earthly ministry the prayer recorded in John 17. Hear His heart in this snippet.
“I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.” (John 17:20-23)
Paul understood that God intended for us to have a relationship with Him that would bless us with a sense of fulfillment, peace, and joy. Such qualities bear the very fruit of His Spirit, the Holy Spirit.
Become complete. Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you… The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. (2 Corinthians 13:11-14)
David, the man after God’s own heart, received fresh pours of God’s love daily. He experienced such a relationship with God. He understood that maintaining a practice of self-examination to stay right with God was a key element of the relationship. “Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; Try my mind and my heart” (Psalm 26:2).
For this same reason, Paul warns us to examine ourselves before participating in the Lord’s communion. “So let a person examine himself first, and then he may eat of the bread and drink from the cup; for a person who eats and drinks without recognizing the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself” (1 Corinthians 11:28-29 JNT).
So as we intimately engage with God by faith through the Holy Spirit, we receive the pour of His love. Consequently, this invokes more grace. The Holy Spirit, therefore, activates measures of God’s strengthening within us. That’s His sanctifying work in us.
Truly, our relationship with God is intended to bring us bountiful blessings in life. May you drink of the cup of communion and be blessed; even more, though, as you engage in a rich intimate relationship with the Lord! May you see the true beauty of the Lord’s Feast of Unleavened bread.
The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread (1 Corinthians 10:14-17).
REFLECT AND RELATE
How do you examine your standing—or health of your relationship with God?
Are there crevices in your heart that the Holy Spirit may be shedding light upon to bring your heart into a greater degree of sanctification, and unity with God?
What falsehoods might you be believing, holding onto, or trusting in that could be impacting your relationship with God?
REFERENCES
2 Thessalonians 2:13; James 4:1-17; Ephesians 1:15-21
NEXT STEPS
Vertical movement: As you embrace intimate prayer and engagement with the Lord– true communion– the Holy Spirit draws you deeper. You come to know more intimately the One who declared, “I Am the Light of the World.”
Horizontal movement: The more you appreciate rich fellowship with the Lord, the more you realize the values and benefits of a life of true consecration towards God.
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