Denial and Communion

Daily Devotional April 29

Oswald Chambers – My Utmost For His Highest

“Then JESUS said to the twelve, ‘Will you also go away.’” John 6:67

“The look of JESUS will mean a heart broken for ever from allegiance to any person or thing. Where you are “soft” with GOD is where the LORD has looked at you.”

This statement made me think of Peter’s denial of JESUS during His “trial”; when Peter had made his third denial of knowing JESUS, JESUS looked at him. Then Peter seeing JESUS’ look was broken hearted and went out and wept bitterly: Luke 22:54-62.

Peter did not remember that JESUS had told him that He prayed for him and when he returned to JESUS he was to strengthen his brothers. He only remembered that JESUS had told him he would deny Him three times: Luke 22:31-34.

Then after being with JESUS four times after His resurrection JESUS restored Peter and commissioned him to feed and care for the Church: John 21:15-19.

So Oswald’s original comment was about when JESUS was telling the people that He was the Living Bread and Living Water and they would have to eat His flesh and drink His blood and some disciples left because it was too hard to understand and believe: John 6:41-71. We know that this is the communion from the Last Supper that celebrates JESUS and our salvation by His sacrifice: Luke 22:14-20.

The communion that we take in remembrance of JESUS and what He did also reminds us that He has restored us as children of the Father and Servants of His Eternal Kingdom. That as we are one with Him we are one with the Father and His SPIRIT now lives in us: John 16 & 17.