Remember Jesus

Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, for which I am suffering, bound in chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound! Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. The saying is trustworthy, for: if we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful - for he cannot deny himself. 2 Timothy 2:8-13

Hot soup. Toast spread thick with butter (earth balance). 

What on earth does this have to do with remembering Jesus? Maybe it's nothing. But maybe it's everything. 

Remembering Jesus is about knowing who He is in every moment of every day. It's remembering that He's the Son of God, that He was made like us, that He have Himself for us, that He helps us, and that He is ever faithful, regardless of our faithlessness. 

It's giving thanks for daily bread. 

I recently read a beautiful book called A Meal With Jesus by Tim Chester. 

It's about sustenance and provision and community and grace and remembering the One who always gives more grace. 

There are several dimensions to this book , but here is Chester on the one influencing me the most right now: 

What do we express when we say grace? 

- Our daily dependence on God as creatures and sinners. 

- Our dependence on others as we give thanks for those who grew, processed, bought and cooked our food. 

- The goodness of food, thereby transforming our food from fuel to a gift to be relished. 

- Our gratitude to God, thereby reorienting ourselves away from self and back to God. 

- Our gratitude for community as we ask God's blessing on our fellowship over the meal. 

In previous Novembers I've done different gratitude challenges. To help me remember Jesus, I'm going to say grace this month, before every meal. I didn't grow up doing this. It's not natural to me. It makes me uncomfortable when I'm asked the bless the meal at a gathering of Christians, large or small. I don't know what I'm doing. And I don't do it on my own. 

But this month, I'm going to try. I'm going to give thanks and remember Who gives all good things. With my family in Christ, by myself, I will, as Ann Voskamp says, "give thanks for all things, for He is all good" 

I'm going to remember Jesus, who makes His people one family. Who gives daily bread. Who forgives. Who gives more grace. Who is our advocate. Our redeemer. Our helper. Our friend. 

I'm going to remember Jesus, who saves sinners from death to life and makes all things work together for the good of those who love God. 

Thank you to everyone who followed along this month. I had a great time studying and writing and am glad I did the challenge. Who knows what next year might bring? I won't be blogging every day in November, but I'll check in and let you know how the grace challenge is going.