Daily Devotion with Pastor Tong Liu: Daily Devotion

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english

John 6:52-59

Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" Jesus said to them, "Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them...

Many people don't quite understand this Bible passage. By reading only this passage, they may feel that the Bible is very scary. Jesus said, "For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink". This led the Romans to think that Christianity is a religion of barbaric savages. Thus, they persecuted the early church. However, if you look at the context of chapter 6, you will understand that Jesus Christ was speaking of the heavenly spiritual things. He was using eating and drinking as a metaphor.

When you eat and drink, the food becomes a part of your body. In other words, these two things can be connected together. This is the meaning of Holy Communion: to be joined with the Lord.

When we eat the body of the Lord and drink the cup of the Lord, we are joined with the life of the Lord. We always long to be with the Lord and long for the Lord to abide in us. But, how can we always abide in the Lord? The secret is to always take part in the Lord's body. The Lord's body was broken for us, so that we can have a relationship with the Heavenly Father. Similarly, we need to learn the lessons of denying ourselves and putting off the old self. So that through our self-denial, the people around us can be blessed by God and have a relationship with God.

Not only are we to take part in the Lord's body, but we are also to take part in the Lord's precious blood. The Lord's precious blood is shed for us, to cover over all our sins. Today, we should always pray for the light of God's Spirit to shine on us and ask for the Lord's precious blood to cleanse the darkness inside us. The Bible says that if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. When daily we can take part in the Lord's body and the Lord's precious blood, then we will abide in the Lord and the Lord will abide in us.

Pray with Pastor Tong

Edit Image

Dear Lord, please let me know how to deny myself and take up the cross daily to follow you. When I come to seek your face, you will always abide in me, and I will always abide in you. I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen!