December 13, 2016 – 11 Days Until My Head Explodes, Or
Devotions to Prepare Us For Christ’s Coming

“The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Tell the Israelites: These are the animals you can eat: If an animal has hooves that are split into two parts, and if that animal also chews the cud, then you may eat the meat from that animal. “Some animals chew the cud, but they don’t have split hooves. Don’t eat these animals. Camels, rock badgers, and rabbits are like that, so they are unclean for you. Other animals have hooves that are split into two parts, but they don’t chew the cud. Don’t eat these animals. Pigs are like that, so they are unclean for you. Don’t eat the meat from these animals. Don’t even touch their dead bodies! They are unclean for you.” Leviticus 11:1-8

I guess I have pasta on my brain this week – today it is meatballs in sauce, tomorrow it is stuffed tortellini. I guess I am adding to the over-consumption of the Christmas season. Nothing says “Merry Christmas” more than a big pot of spaghetti and some meatballs in sauce. “Ummm Ummmm Good.”

When Jesus is in his last earthly week, he commands the disciples to find a room – a room prepared for them – where they will share the Passover meal. During that meal, Jesus gives them the command to what will become the structure for our sacrament of Holy Communion. There are a lot of foods that the Old Testament instructs not to eat – but Jesus gives us one commandment – a meal that we are have often. When the disciples gathered following the ascension of Jesus, they continued to share this meal believing that Jesus was still with them in the bread and the wine of communion. Lutheran churches lost the practice of every Sunday communion for many years, but recently have reclaimed this practice. Where once people believed there was no room for every Sunday communion, they now have discovered that neglecting this “Holy Meal” leaves us with an empty feeling – especially in the rooms of our hearts.

Have you prepared a room for Jesus? Have you prepared room in your hearts, room in your homes, room in your lives? Jesus comes to share a meal with us each Sunday, but, in reality, Jesus comes each day to share the Good News with us. Are we ready for the Master to come? We were already told in the season of Advent to “keep awake” – to prepare – to be ready for Jesus, for we know not the day or the time of day when He will come. Dare we risk not having our rooms ready?

Pastor Dave