Dear Family at CCC,

     This Sunday, we will celebrate the sovereignty of God and the care He has taken to order the events of our lives so that we may be drawn into His redemptive mission for the life of the world.  As part of our worship, we will have the opportunity to respond to Jonah 1:7-16 by partaking of the Lord’s Table.  In this means of grace, we see God’s testimony that nothing in our lives is in vain if we are in Christ.  In the broken bread, we see that our sin has been dealt with in Christ, and it no longer has the final say in our lives.  In the poured out cup, we see that new life is provided for us in Christ, and that all things must therefore work for our redemption and final glorification with Him in the age to come.  The Table is, therefore, a vivid illustration of God’s sovereign care for us. It is also an invitation to respond in faith, however doubtful we may feel from time to time about His care.

In, Running from Mercy, Anthony Carter makes this valuable point:

“Knowledge, wisdom, and insight come from God.  It is important that you and I see the hand of God in all the affairs of our lives.  Always see God at work in your life. Like Joseph from the pit to the prison to the palace, God had his hand on Joseph the whole way.  God has his hand on you too. Do you see it? Are you observing it?” 

     As you prepare to receive the bread and cup this Sunday, pray for eyes to see the hand of God in all the affairs of your life.  Ask the Spirit to guide you with the conviction that all things are working to the good for those who are in Christ Jesus. Seek to use this means of grace to enable you more and more to put away earthly desires, pursue God’s Kingdom, and to participate in His mission, above all else.

In Christ,
Robby