November 19 | 2 Chronicles 30:15, 21-23; Luke 22:7-13

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2 Chronicles 30:1-5, 21-23; Luke 22:7-13

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REFLECTION

Communion Joy

by Elaine Pierce

Do you remember that exhilarating feeling the first time you successfully rode your bike without training wheels? My 5-year-old grandson just mastered his two-wheeler, and he was thrilled to demonstrate this new skill for me last week. Those 'firsts' in our lives are milestones that mark progress and they are worthy of celebrating.

Today marks the first communion for many of our younger members. They have watched their parents receive the bread and the wine many times, and now it is their opportunity to participate more fully. We celebrate communion every Sunday, and as I watch our UALC family walk forward to receive the elements, I am often moved to thank God for the people he has brought together on our two campuses. We will be together, with all the saints, for all eternity.

As we read in today's Old Testament passage in 2 Chronicles, the Passover had not been celebrated for many years when Hezekiah became King. He sent a proclamation throughout Israel and Judah, urging people to come to Jerusalem to once again follow God's commands to observe this sacred holiday. Many people mocked him and refused to come, but thousands obeyed, and the first Passover after many years was celebrated for two weeks with much joy and fellowship.

When Jesus celebrated Passover with his disciples the day before he died, they had no idea that he would be crucified on a cross the next day. They followed his instructions for preparing the Passover, and "they found things just as Jesus had told them. (Luke 22:13)."

As Christians, we take communion as Jesus commanded us, and we remember his sacrifice on the cross Whether it's the first time you receive the elements, or the seventieth time - or the thousandth time - I pray that you will find deep joy, peace and hope as you remember what Jesus did and what is to come for all who call him Lord and Savior.

Passover foreshadowed communion. Let us celebrate, remember, and give thanks, for he is good.

PRAYER

Lord, you provided a good King for the Israelites, and he brought them back to worship you through Passover. Today, we have the King of Kings with us every day. Thank you for the gift of the holy spirit, and I pray that we will follow you and serve you day by day. Amen.

November 18 | Romans 6:1-11

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DAILY READING

Romans 6:1-11

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REFLECTION

Tombs and Cocoons

by Mary Alice McGinnis

Have you had those moments in your life when you knew that what you were doing, or going to do, was not the right thing? When doing that thing seemed like a powerful uncontrollable force welling up inside of you?

Kind of like when I get angry. I know that the words or actions that come out of my mouth are NOT going to be kind. In fact, they will likely be hurtful and downright mean. And honestly and sadly at the time, I don’t care. All the justification swirl around in my head, I am sure you know them. I just want to unleash it all and not think twice about it. I could easily think, “God will forgive me anyway.” And truthfully, in those moments, I don’t want to let go of my anger.

Maybe there is something else in your life that you don’t want to let go of? Something that has a stranglehold on you what is keeping you prisoner.

That part of us, that part that is bent on doing what we want, no matter the consequences. That part of us that feels uncontrollable. That part that wants what we want, and nothing or no one can dissuade us. That part of us that we are ashamed of because we know the darkness of what we are capable of lives there. It is a frightening realization that we are enslaved to being that person, with no hope of being freed.

Paul tells us today some beautiful news!

We are dead! What? That doesn’t sound like good news. Let’s try to picture what Paul is describing.

Picture a corpse. It is dead. See its lifelessness. Stare at its inability to get up and freeing itself from the power of death. See it becoming overcome by corruption and decay.

Paul says: “We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?”

That corpse is our old corrupt self. That part of us that innately wants to rebel and go our own way. That part of us is DEAD, like a corpse buried in a crypt. Jesus died too. Yet death did not have mastery over Him. It could not hold Him. He broke the power of sin! He arose triumphant.

Paul continues: “For if we have been united with Him in a death like His, we will certainly also be united with Him in a resurrection like His.”

The word united here means being implanted by birth or nature. Our nature from our earthly birth is bent on things that lead us to death and destruction. BUT, when we are UNITED with Jesus, our relationship with our self-seeking, sin-sick nature is forever changed. Jesus’ nature and the power of His resurrection comes alive in us! It transforms everything about us!

If we have been freed like a corpse freed from death, why would we EVER want to go back and live in the tombs?

Just like a butterfly when it emerges from a cocoon, we have been freed!

Why would I ever want to go back to living in a cocoon?

Ask yourself these questions.

Since I have been freed to live my life united – bound together – in the nature of Jesus, how will I count myself dead to sin and ALIVE to God in Christ Jesus?

How will this transform how I live my life today?

PRAYER

Thank You Jesus for conquering death. Thank you for uniting me with YOU in Your death and resurrection. Forgive me for when I want to go back to the tombs and cocoons of my old selfish nature. Continue to transform in my heart through Your Holy Spirit's power. Help me to live as one who has been made alive and set free!

November 17 | Acts 22:2-16

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DAILY READING

Acts 22:2-16

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REFLECTION

About Paul

by David Thompson

It's interesting that the passage referenced today was discussed in my devotional from Wednesday, November 15. I will try not to repeat the points I made about the Damascus Road and about Paul's conversion, the words spoken by Christ and what happened to Paul in Damascus. Let me encourage you to go back and read Wednesday's post if you missed it.

For today I am going to talk about how Paul went about giving himself credibility with his audiences. That, along with his knowledge that all who heard him didn't get converted. Starting in verse two and going through verse five, Paul (originally called Saul until his conversion) spoke to Palestinian Jews in Aramaic. This was the common language of that group. When he spoke to Roman officials, he spoke Greek. This was their formal language and one that they would speak commonly in their community. Paul also retold the story of how he persecuted the people of the Way and how he was responsible for their imprisonment and even for many of their deaths.

He would also share the fact that he was a Roman citizen when the situation warranted it. Verses six through sixteen recount the Damascus Road experience including his conversion in Damascus.

The Life Application Bible states Paul knew that even after all the introduction and the dramatic conversion story that many would not respond. Often, we read that some in every crowd were unconvinced and wanted to kill Paul.

The LA Bible says that, "We must faithfully and responsibly present the Gospel, and leave the results up to God." Many of us, given an opportunity to present the Gospel, miss the opportunity as we have a lot of rationalizations why we are not prepared. We feel inadequate or if it doesn't go well, we feel rejected. If we look once again at the LA Bible statement, it becomes apparent that many of the rationalizations are about us (about me) and not about God. Our job as stated in 1 Peter 3:15 is to "...always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give a reason for the hope that you have." At that point, God takes over. That should be a relief. It is for me.

PRAYER

Dear God, thank you for our example in Paul. He never gave up on telling the Gospel and even when thrown in jail, he was instrumental with You and the Holy Spirit in converting the jailer. Help us be like Paul by giving a ready answer to those that notice something different about us. In Christ's name, Amen.