DAY 5
Come to the Table of Showbread to feed on Christ
The light from the candlestick shed light on the Table of Showbread. On top of the table, on pure gold plates, were twelve loaves of bread arranged in two rows or piles of six, with frankincense sprinkled on each row. Each week on the Sabbath, the priests consumed the old bread and replaced it with fresh loaves and frankincense supplied by the people. The table of showbread was a constant reminder of God's everlasting covenant with His people and His provision for the twelve tribes of Israel, represented by the twelve loaves. In John 6:35 (NLT), Jesus said:
"I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty."
There are two primary ways that we can ‘feed on Christ’. The first is through the Word of God. Matthew 4:4 says:
“Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”
Significantly, the word for ‘word’ used here is the Greek word ‘rhema’ which may be a specific revelation of who He is, a specific revelation of who you are to Him, or a specific promise to be believed or a command to be obeyed. The second way to ‘feed on Christ’ is through Communion or the Breaking of Bread. Just like the priests ate the bread from the table every Sabbath, so we are instructed to regularly take Communion. While we can and do take Communion in the context of a church service, prayer meeting or small gathering, it’s important to remember that Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper around a meal with His friends.
Daily devotional
by Simon Deeks
- You may like to pray this prayer: “Thank You, God, for giving me Your Word. I commit to reading it, and I ask You to reveal Yourself to me through it. I want to know You more. Help me to grow more in love with Your Word and to be more dependent on it. I claim the promises You have for me, and I meditate on the truth of Your Word Give me fresh revelation from Your Word today and every day! Help me to apply it so that I can be Your ambassador for love, justice, and righteousness in the world.” Pray through any Scriptures that are currently on your heart or that God has given you in this season.
- Although it’s preferable to take Communion with others – there can be value in taking Communion in our own personal prayer times. You might like to do so, by reading the words that the apostle Paul spoke to the Corinthian Church, taking time to pause in thanksgiving as you first take the bread, representing Jesus’ body broken for you, and then the wine, representing His blood shed for you.
“For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”
– 1 Cor 11:23-26
worship song
What a Beautiful Name