Tag: easter

Eucharisteo

“The Eucharest: Receiving the holy grail of peace, grace and joy with thanksgiving.”

It was on Holy Thursday that Jesus broke bread with his disciples. Before the Passover Lamb could be sacrificed for good, he wanted to have one last meal with his friends & followers. 

Dr. Luke in the gospel account records the words of Jesus thus, “and he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them…” (Luke 22:19).

In the original language, ‘he gave thanks’ reads – ‘eucharisteo.’ The root word of eucharisteo is ‘charis’ which means ‘grace.’ Jesus took bread, saw it as grace and gave thanks.

So ‘eucharisteo,’  thanksgiving, envelopes the Greek word for grace, ‘charis.’  And the Greek word for grace, charis forms the very heart of the word, eucharisteo.

Because it was soon to be the grace of God found in the sacrifice of the Passover Lamb which would form the very heart of the table of the eucharisteo – the table of thanksgiving.

And this brings us to the deeper meaning of the Greek word – charis. For it is derived from the Greek word, ‘chara’  meaning ‘joy.’

Because deep chara joy is found only at the table of the eucharisteo – the table of thanksgiving, where the grace of God that brings with it the promise of wholeness and shalom is enfleshed for us in the Person of Jesus – the Living Bread that was broken to give us new life.

Eucharisteo. Thanksgiving. Charis. Grace. Chara. Joy.

The days after The Lord’s Supper were days that were going to see the deepest kind of wounding inflicted on him, followed by a day of gloom and despair, before he would finally be raised back to life again.

And the days that we are now walking into this Holy week commemorate & celebrate the same reality – if we suffer with him, we will also be raised up in glory with him (2 Timothy 2:12).

A Friday that saw Jesus suffer as the Lamb of God, a Saturday that marked a bridge between his suffering and his glory, and a Sunday that saw the resurrection power of God triumph over hell and death for all time to come are not only a testament of great hope to us, but also serve to take us on a brief journey that we will from time-to-time embark upon this side of heaven.

Take my hand, friend and let me lead you through it.

Good Friday:

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

(Hebrews 4:15-16)

The above passage of Scripture reveals that though Jesus was sinless, he was not pain-free. He was in fact, ‘tempted in every way, just as we are.’ He too was familiar with the pain of abuse, persecution, insults, ridicule, rejection and betrayal; so much so that he eventually surrendered even to a most terrifying death on the cross!

This tells me that as we walk through the pain and trauma of this fractured world, we can trust that even when no one else understands what we are going through, Jesus perfectly does.

And he doesn’t tell us to deny it, bury it or numb it.

Much the opposite really.

He encourages us to bring our wounding to him, because by his stripes, we are healed. The day we reckon as, ‘Good Friday’ is proof of that.

For the crown of thorns on his head to be bartered for the wreath of peace we now wear, this was a day when the righteous died for the unrighteous, the godly for the ungodly, the sinless for the sinner.

It wasn’t fair, but it was necessary.

Likewise, your suffering and mine has purpose too. There is nothing glamorous about it, but it is glorious.

How, you ask…

Our pain, whatever it may be, when brought to the foot of the Cross, enables a divine exchange –

Brokenness for wholeness.

Human suffering now embraced by his glory becomes not only shared and dignified, but immensely transformative.

Eugene Peterson puts it like this,

“…people do not suffer less when they are committed to following God. But when these people go through suffering, their lives are often transformed, deepened, marked with beauty and holiness, in remarkable ways that could never have been anticipated before the suffering.”

Our pain produces purpose when it is embraced by the beauty and power of who God is. For this is the truth of the cruciform life –

The Lord walked through unjust suffering, we will too. There is nothing right about it,  but I’m reminded that love is the logic of heaven.

So if our Savior hung on a tree that we may have hope in the midst of our pain and suffering, then let this somber yet sacred day called, ‘Good Friday’  serve as a reminder to us that our brokenness on this side of eternity does not disqualify us from the prize of the high calling in Christ Jesus. In fact, it is through our brokenness that God works all things together to qualify us and to script songs of glory for all generations to echo.

So, as we have opportunity, let us approach the throne of grace – the table of the eucharisteo – to find the help we need in our time of need, but to do so with hope and joy, praise and expectation …

.. and a ton of thanks.

Silent Saturday:

“Wait for the Lord;

    be strong and take heart

    and wait for the Lord.”

(Psalm 27:14)

Sandwiched between Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection was a day where darkness seemed to have prevailed and all hope felt lost in Jerusalem. Grief and despair hung in the air as the disciples huddled together, without any comprehension of what was next. God had orchestrated this pregnant pause of sorts, but the atmosphere was thick with sorrow and suspense.

Friend, in our walk of faith, we too will have moments when we feel hopeless and discouraged. But when we do, we can always find comfort and camaraderie with the disciples. We can know that just like this wasn’t the end of their story, what we are walking through isn’t ours either.

‘Silent Saturday’ – a day riddled with fear and doubt – was in fact, a necessary bridge between the disciples’ history and their destiny. It was a purposed cross over between what was and what was yet to be – the Lord’s crucifixion and resurrection, which meant but one thing:

Life would never be the same again. But on a despondent Saturday wedged between a catastrophic Friday and a monumental Sunday, this secret was hidden from them.

And somewhere I suspect the same holds true for us too.

We may not be able to fully understand or comprehend the ‘why’ behind our perceived delays, but one thing we can be certain of –

God is in it with us, and he is not busy preparing the blessing for us, but rather he is engaged in preparing us for the blessing he has already prepared for us.

In other words, our waiting is not the end of us, but rather the ‘becoming’ of us. He is the Alpha, he is the omega; but the journey?

That’s where we’ll find him.

Resurrection Sunday:

“It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.”

(1 Peter 3:21-22)

I took a walk with the Lord the other day – a phenomenon I love calling, ‘walking with the Lord in the cool of the day.’

And as I walked on, I found myself toying with the two keys I currently possess. One is the key to the main entrance of my home, while the other unlocks my personal almirah. Wrapping each key ring around my right and left thumb respectively, I smiled.

Peering into the face of Jesus, I suddenly realised that what I really had in possession was not just the two keys that opened up portals in the natural realm, but rather keys that had authority in the spiritual. As this epiphany came through, it brought me right back to the message of Easter:

“Because on the third day, he rose again, I now have the keys to hell and death, in Jesus’ Name.”

He is Risen!

I am Risen!

Hallelujah!

So this is the Good News we celebrate on Passover.

Death has been swallowed up in victory, and darkness has been eternally vanquished!

Therefore, we can never be deadlocked in any situation because the Lamb of God has  overcome. As prized children of the most high God, we can rest in the assurance that what seems to be the end is now only a new beginning in his hands – which makes our lives a saga of unending hope, brave adventure and ceaseless glory.

The Bible states that we overcome by the blood of the lamb and the word of our testimony (Revelation 12:11). So as we lift up the cup of the new covenant this Passover, let us look at our challenges square in the eye, pick up the sword of the Spirit, and decree what he has decreed over our lives, thereby enforcing the triumph of the Cross and establishing God’s kingdom here on earth as it is in heaven.

One of the Lord’s last directives to his disciples was to take the bread, the wine, and to remember. Do this in rememberance of me. Remember, and give thanks.

For the truth is that after what the Lord has done for us, we can never repay him. But we can remember him.

And as we remember him, it is we who will be reminded of who we are and whose we are. The Psalmist puts it like this,

“So now, what can I ever give back to God to repay him for the blessings he’s poured out on me? I will lift up his cup of salvation and praise him extravagantly for all that he’s done for me.”

(Psalm 116:12-13, TPT)

So friend, as we approach the Holy Week, let us lay hold of the life that is truly life, let us celebrate the Lord’s grace with peace, joy and thanksgiving.

Let us take the bread, take the wine and take communion.

Let us remember..

…and let us give thanks.

Eucharisteo.

Glory

“Death, burial and Resurrection.”

It was perhaps around Thursday during the Holy Week when the Lord washed the disciples feet, thereby demonstrating the full extent of His Love which finds authentic expression in what Pastor Bill Johnson often says,

“Rule with the heart of a servant, and serve with the heart of a king.”

Jesus always used His authority to build up, never tear down. He released life and light wherever He went. He healed the sick. He raised the dead. He opened blind eyes and unstopped deaf ears. He cleansed the lepers and cast out demons. He dignified women and ate with tax collectors. He taught in the synagogue and freely forgave.

And on Thursday, He stooped down to now wash the disciples feet.

“Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God;  so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist.” (John 13:3-4)

It is astonishing and refreshing to learn that an awareness of His Identity as the Son of God did not lead Jesus to demonstrate any sort of worldly flamboyance which was not uncommon in those days for a king, but rather it led Him to serve.

He perfectly exemplified the heart of the servant-king that He was.

Not only that, He also encouraged His disciples to do the same.

And He encourages us too.

The Kingdom of God always works in paradox, sometimes too mysterious for us to comprehend. And what I’m learning is that what we can’t necessarily wrap our minds around, we certainly can choose to receive with our hearts by faith.

We may never understand the kind of Love that compelled the Lord to go to that Cross at Calvary, wilfully die a gruesome death both, ‘as’ us and ‘for’ us, and then on the third day, be raised again from the dead.

All so that we could receive a forgiveness of sin, an authentic hope for our future and life everlasting with our Father in Heaven.

We may never understand this kind of Love, but we are free to choose to receive it.

Revel in it. Bask in it. Glory in it.

He paid a most unreasonable price to ransom us and redeem us.

And there is perhaps no better way for us to honour this kind of Love, other than simply learn to receive it like little children.

Little children who belong to the family and the kingdom of God.

Sons and daughters that were on our Saviour’s mind as He breathed His last on that Cross.

So He could release a fresh breath of Heaven into us when He rose again.

Death could not hold Him. Hope could not be left buried or entombed. For He is Risen.

And He is alive.

He is breathing right now. Into you. Into me.

A new life. A resurrection life. An ascended life.

A life He paid with his own for us to receive.

Like little children.

Sons and Daughters that are marked with glorious divine destiny that have The Father’s fingerprints all over.

So as we head into the last three days that mark the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord; let us, like Him, remember whose children we are, where we come from and where we return.

For when all is said and done, He will get the Glory.

Because He paid a mighty price for it and as His Children, may we never settle for anything less than God’s best.

On Earth as it is in Heaven.

Glory!

Resurrection Day: I want to Follow You!

“Lord, listen to my prayer. It’s like a sacrifice I bring to you;
I must have more revelation of your word!
Take my words to heart when I ask you, Lord;
rescue me, just like you promised!
I offer you my joyous praise for all that you’ve taught me.
Your wonderful words will become my song of worship,
for everything you’ve commanded is perfect and true.
Place your hands of strength and favor upon me,
for I’ve made my choice to follow your ways.
I wait for your deliverance, O Lord,
for your words thrill me like nothing else!
Invigorate my life so that I can praise you even more,
and may your truth be my strength!
I’ll never forget what you’ve taught me, Lord,
but when I wander off and lose my way,
come after me, for I am your beloved!”

(Psalm 119:169-176, The Passion Translation)

❤️

Happy Easter!

The Cross at Calvary
The price that was paid for me
By who we call, “Jesus Christ”
His Love that bled for me.

So I could have a brand new start
The only thing in His Heart
He willingly took all the darts
In wholeness, and not in part.

It was a garden with a new tomb
Carved out of rock
To lay The Rock on whom we stand
Could He be buried in the sand?

Darkness seemed to loom
The disciples filled with despair and gloom
But Heaven was already fighting
So we would never have to remain in hiding.

The women prepared spices and perfume
To anoint the body who could not be contained in the tomb
The Angel of The Lord rolled the stone away
And rendered the tomb empty where He once lay.

For He rose again
Our Resurrected King
Holding the keys to Eternal Life
Running in my veins even now as I write.

The mystery of the ages now revealed
In who we call, “Jesus Christ”
Our Messiah, our Abba, our Father
Besides Him, there is none other.

He is Risen
In His Name, salvation is our portion
The tomb remains empty so our lives can be full
With the anointing of His Spirit, who never ceases to pull.

Pull us into the Hope that our lives hinge on
A hope that never disappoints, never fails
For the victory that was won
Was won once and for all and therefore, shall forever prevail.

✝️❤️

The Way

“I don’t get in the way. I pave the way.”

I’m not particularly proud to say that I was wrestling with the notion whether or not I should spend some extra devotional time with Him , or simply go out and make it happen on my own. A gentle whisper stilled me,

“I don’t get in the way. I pave the way.”

It’s in those times that we debate whether or not we need to take some time out with Him, or simply go out and do that thing that we have set our hearts on, that I feel we need to recall the words of pure wisdom He whispered to me,

“I don’t get in the way. I pave the way.”

We have the power to choose. The Word says,

“I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life so that you and your children may live.”

We have the power to choose Him, because when we do, the rest all falls into place; not because we have tried to make it happen in our own strength, but simply because nothing can stand against His. I believe when we choose Him over all else, He is Mighty enough to go to work behind the scenes, war on our behalf and set into motion the things we need in order to manifest that which we believe has come from His Heart to ours. One of my most favorite verses goes something like this,

“God is not peripheral to the world. The world is peripheral to God.”

He is not only the orchestrator of the events of our lives, but is also a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Spending time with Him is the number one thing that prepares our hearts, minds and souls to lay hold of that which He has already set in motion in The Spirit. I once heard someone say that luck is when preparation meets oppurtunity. Our part of the deal is obedience, His is the outcome. We know that we work FROM victory and not for victory. Let us not cast away this confidence. Towards Easter, let the Victory of The Cross resonate with the deepest parts of our being. Let the reality of what He has done sink into our bones so much so that our ONLY response to Him will be,

“You don’t get in the way. You ARE the way.”

Amen.

Death and Life

“By Your Spirit, I will rise

From the ashes of defeat.

The resurrected King

Is resurrecting me.”

With Easter being just seven days away, the lyrics of this life giving worship song infused with my spirit seem to set the stage to rise to the occasion.

Yes. We know the story. But have we embraced its reality?

Lord Jesus Christ’s gruesome crucifixion on the Cross of Calvary for the atonement of our sins followed by His resurrection on the third day, that which we have come to commemorate as Easter, reveals to us the hope of the calling we have received.

Death and life go hand-in-hand.

In my experience, the death of toxic waste like fear, anxiety, shame, regret, unforgiveness, vengeance and pride only pave the way forward for a New Life to spring forth; one that is rooted in love, faith, hope, humility, gentleness, understanding, courage and compassion. It is the crucifixion of the narrow self-life which makes possible for us to walk into the wide, open spaces that God, by His Grace, has already pre-destined for us. It is a declaration of such death that is a precursor to inevitable victory; a victory over the narrow confines of self preservation, selfish ambition and false identities.

I believe with all my heart that when The Bible says that the old has gone, the new has come; it is boldly declaring the Truth that the old man with all of his flaws and limitations now has legal access to a new life, a life renewed with authentic Hope and Victory.

Do we just waltz our way into it?

Yes.

And no.

For it is by the Grace of God that we have this privilege and this promise. But at the same time, it is our daily obedience and commitment to living out our new life that determines to what extent we will tap into the victory that has already been purchased for us.

To what lengths will we go to see the death of those things that are poisoning us and plaguing our existence ?

How much are we willing to stretch ourselves beyond our comfort zone to reach out to those that are in need of what we have to offer?

Are we truly willing to let our hearts experience the beautiful paradox of what Jesus did?

Have we abandoned ourselves to His care enough to trust that where we have seen death and destruction, we will also see restoration and resurrection?

I believe that if God has you reading this, He wants you to know that you are chosen. You are loved and you are valuable. You are treasured and you are cherished. Your God truly does love you.

Will you love Him back enough to let those things that are tainting your experience of life die once and for all, as you simultaneously reach out for the newness that comes with trusting Him to birth within you that which will give you true life?

I believe you will.

I believe I will.

Together, we will.

And as I write?

I suddenly have the strangest feeling that Heaven is smiling upon us.

Have a blessed week towards Easter, dear friends!

All my love,

Simran.

❤️