Arise and eat

Today, I want to share with you my recent experience at our church gathering. After a month of feeling too exhausted due to medication and being hesitant to drive, I finally made it to the service this Sunday. Determined to stay alert and engaged, I decided to postpone taking my medication until after the church service. And guess what? It worked! 

Sitting there, surrounded by others, and simply listening felt so good. Plus, there's something truly beautiful about singing together.

During the service, we offered prayers for the sick and for those undergoing medical examinations. In the midst of it all, my mischievous son playfully nudged me while we were praying. I couldn't help but smile at him because, well, the prayer was about me.

A touching Sermon

The sermon really touched my heart as it revolved around the story of Elijah, who, feeling overwhelmed and afraid, fled to the wilderness. God came to him, touched him, and spoke to him. Interestingly, God didn't come to take Elijah home, which is what he desired. Instead, the Lord came to renew his strength. He never gives up on us. He will never abandon us or say, "I can no longer help you."

This resonated deeply with me during the sermon. It felt as though God was reaching out to me, laying His hand upon me and speaking through His Word. "Take and eat the food I have set before you," He seemed to say: Jesus invites you to come to Him again and again. The pastor emphasized that when we feel overwhelmed, we should come to Him. We should taste and see that the Lord is good (Psalm 34) and experience His refreshing and restoring touch.

Awaken! Divert your gaze from the circumstances, from the actions of others. Keep your eyes steadfastly fixed upon Me. Fixate upon Me, partake of what I have bestowed upon you: consume and quench your thirst. I intend to fortify you, empowering you to press on, both on a personal level and as a united congregation. He yearns to invigorate and rejuvenate our very souls.

Bread symbolizes the life we possess in Jesus Christ. For the bread of God is He who descends from heaven and bestows life upon the world. Jesus proclaimed, 'I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never hunger, and whoever believes in Me will never thirst.'

God seeks people who acknowledge their own weaknesses so that He can work in and through us. He knows our weaknesses and provides for us, nourishes us, strengthens us, encourages us. He comes to us, speaks to us, lays His hand upon us, and says, 'Arise and eat.' That is what we need to do in this season. That is the message: arise and eat, for He wants to use you. He has a plan for you. There is still a journey ahead. Rise and partake of the Bread of Life, the Word of God—Jesus Christ—and trust in Him. He provides your strength until you meet Him, until He brings you home in heaven.

Now, here's a funny twist: right in the midst of my struggle with food allergies, the sermon tells me to "arise and eat." Will I ever be able to eat everything? Well, maybe that's a question for the new earth. 😊