Day 4 of 4:
I Will Give You A Life That’s Overflowing
In Exodus 6:7, God makes an incredible promise to His people. He promises to make them a family — His family — and to give them a future.
Every year, Jews celebrate these promises during a meal called the Passover. It’s the same meal Jesus celebrated with His followers at the Last Supper. That night, Jesus didn’t drink the fourth cup that symbolized this promise to be God’s people. Instead, Jesus would wait to drink this cup with the disciples as they celebrate the fulfillment of all God’s promises in heaven.
When we have a
a relationship with Jesus, we, too, can live in anticipation of this celebration. Jesus redeemed us so we could join Him and the rest of our brothers and sisters at His banquet table in heaven (Revelation 9:9).
While God’s promise to make us His people will be fulfilled completely in heaven, we don’t have to wait to experience the joy that knowing Him brings. God makes Himself known to us through His Spirit, His Word, and His people.
God has given us the opportunity to mirror what His kingdom will be like right now, right here on Earth. We move from “me” to “we” when we connect to others in the church. When we live and serve alongside our brothers and sisters in Christ, it’s only natural for joy and praise to happen, because we’re doing what we were made to do forever in heaven.
As we look forward to that heavenly banquet, we feast with our family of believers here by serving together, laughing together, crying together, and caring for one another. When we understand what it means to be a part of God’s family, we can’t help but praise Him.
Pray
God, thank you for not leaving me to do this life alone. Help me connect with the family you have given me here on Earth so I can more fully experience joy and give you glory.
Challenge
Take a moment to reflect on your relationships with others in the church:
- When was the last time you laughed until it hurt?
- Who would you call at 2am if you needed something?
- Who encourages you in your faith and points you toward Jesus?
If you had an answer to those questions, let those people know how much you appreciate them and look for opportunities to grow those friendships.
Exodus 6:6-8 King James Version
6 Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments:
7 And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.
8 And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for an heritage: I am the Lord.
Matthew 26:26-30 King James Version
26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.
27 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;
28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
29 But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.
30 And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.
Revelation 19:9 King James Version
9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.