Don’t settle for scraps

I was listening to Graham Cooke teach on “Living Your Destiny” and he made a statement that struck me: “Western churches live off the scraps from the Master’s table, when He’s trying to teach you how to feast from on top of it. We have a poverty mentality in the Western world.”

I thought a bit about it and realized how true it was. Here’s the passage he was referring to:

Mark 7:24-30 (NLT) Then Jesus left Galilee and went north to the region of Tyre. He didn’t want anyone to know which house he was staying in, but he couldn’t keep it a secret. Right away a woman who had heard about him came and fell at his feet. Her little girl was possessed by an evil spirit, and she begged him to cast out the demon from her daughter.
Since she was a Gentile, born in Syrian Phoenicia, Jesus told her, First I should feed the children – my own family, the Jews. It isn’t right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs.
She replied, That’s true, Lord, but even the dogs under the table are allowed to eat the scraps from the children’s plates.
Good answer! he said. Now go home, for the demon has left your daughter. And when she arrived home, she found her little girl lying quietly in bed, and the demon was gone.

We so often approach God for the scraps, as if we’re Gentiles, aliens from the covenant of God. But who would be eating at the table with Jesus? Who is invited to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb (Rev 19:9)? THE CHURCH! The Children of God (Romans 8), eating dinner with the family.

There’s a lot more I could write about covenant, but suffice to say that if you’ve received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, start eating at the table. Picture yourself saying “Pass me the healing, please?” or “May I have another serving of spiritual gifts?” Or imagine yourself going out and gathering others to come in for the meal…

Doug (on holiday today!)