What is it that we love to be able to say when a dinner guest arrives at our home? For me, it’s come on in and have a seat! Well, at least the first few times, we would like to not require any help from them in the kitchen! Typically, you want your guest to have a seat and feel welcome, right? I want them to relax and enjoy their time, and hopefully even look forward to coming again. This past Sunday, I was blessed to have a family over for lunch. When I was growing up, this was part of my life as we often found our way to break bread with other believers or family members on a regular basis. Nowadays, it is a rare thing for me to be able to cook on Sunday due to the fact that we are ministering out of town so often, but we had this past weekend off were all home! Immediately after church, I rushed to the kitchen!
When I start cooking, I immediately start thinking of who I can invite over! I love to have people around our table sharing food, telling stories, talking about God’s favor, laughing about our children, and just living life! It is especially fun when you are able to do it with people that share a mutual and genuine interest in each other! Conversations become more than just talk, and often turn into great times of encouragement and joy. Without going into detail regarding this particular Sunday, I will say we had great conversation, and a for real feast! We spent the afternoon with no agenda, just enjoying the company of friends, chillin with great coffee, pumpkin cheesecake, and the calming distant yells of our kids playing football outside. Life can be so good!
Before all of this feasting began yesterday, Trent and I sang for our home church since we were off this Sunday. We sang a song written by some friends of ours called “Heaven on Earth” that is really becoming popular. The chorus says, “Be seated in heavenly places, just like heaven on earth.” This morning I randomly opened my bible to Ephesians 2:6 “And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” In that moment, God’s word delivered message to me that could not get any more clear. We are called to have a seat. There is rest in Christ Jesus. According to scripture, when Christ died, we died, when He was resurrected, we were resurrected, and we are now seated with HIm in heavenly places. Naturally we are still on earth, but supernaturally we are seated with Him in heaven. The work of our salvation was finished at the cross and Jesus sat down.
If you haven’t entered into God’s rest, and if you are not trusting Him with the needs in your life, then you’re probably pacing the floor! You need to be seated in Christ. Be a guest at His table, share a good conversation with Him, give Him the most intimate areas of who you are. Release your anxiety to Him and He will work out every detail of your life in perfect timing. What good is it to worry? In the 7th and 8th verse, it tells us “He did all this that He might demonstrate through the ages to come the immeasurable riches of His FREE grace in kindness and goodness of heart toward us in Christ Jesus. For it is by free grace that you are saved through faith.”
