Well, about 100 cough drops and a roll of toilet paper later (for my nose, that is), I'm feeling a little better, and my fever is pretty close to being gone. I don't get sick very often....I was remember the last time I was sick.....fall of 2003 when I ended up having a fever of 105 and going to the emergency room because I took care of my friend, and because I refused to take medicine. *laugh* I don't think I'll ever forget that one. But anyway, I'm feeling pretty good...just still coughing and blowing my nose and stuff, but much better than last night.
Anyway, my friend Megan brought me that communion thing, so I wanted to type it up. It's awesome. So I'll end with that....it's pretty long, but if I didn't think it was worth reading, then I wouldn't have taken the time to type it all up! :) Trust me, it's worth a few minutes:
"Most of us who are not Jewish completely miss the full meaning of the communion cup, which is symbolic of betrothal - a covenant to marry. The first major step in a Jewish marriage was betrothal. By Jesus' time it was usual for such a covenant to be established as the result of the prospective bridegroom taking the initiative. The prospective bridegroom would travel from his father's house to the home of the prospective bride. There he would negotiate with the father of the young woman to determine the price (mohar) that he must pay to purchase his bride.
In ancient Jewish betrothal/courtship/wedding proceedings, the groom would bring with him a wine-skin of wine, a prepared speech, a document of his intentions, a Bride-Price, and gifts of adornment. If the father accepted this price, the woman then indicated that she agreed to marry the man by drinking the cup of wine which her suitor poured for her. The drinking of the cup indicated her commitment to marry him and was legally binding; she could not change her mind after this and marry someone else. So once the bridegroom paid the purchase price, the marriage covenant was thereby established, and the young man and woman were regarded to be husband and wife. From that moment on the bride was declared to be consecrated or sanctified, set apart exclusively for her bridegroom. This is a little different than our traditions of today of not calling the couple husband and wife until the wedding ceremony.
The betrothal period would then last for a year or more while the groom prepared a bridal chamber for them in his father's house. When he was finished with the preparations, the groom would come for his bride at an unknown time to her. It was important that she be ready at all times for his coming.
In a very similar way we have been bought with a bride price: the body and blood of our Bridegroom Jesus Christ. When we accept Jesus Christ's shed blood for us we are in essence accepting His proposal of marriage. When we drink the communion cup, we are renewing our covenant with Him, reminding ourselves that we are betrothed to Him - set apart for Him only. Just as the Jewish groom left his bride to prepare a place for her, so has Jesus left to prepare a place for us, and will someday come at an hour which we know not. It is important that we be ready at all times for His appearance for us His Bride, which could be at any moment.
Being engaged to the King of Kings is no small honor. It needs to be constantly on our hearts and minds - the conscious awareness that we belong to Him, that we are set apart for Him, and that we need to be ready at all times to greet Him when He comes for us.
'For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.' (I Corinthians 6:20)
'In my Father's house are may mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.' (John 14:2-3)
'Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.' (Revelation 19:7)."
http://www.singleness.org/devo/dev_060.shtml
http://forums.crossmap.com/thread335.html
http://www.biblestudymanuals.met/jewish_marriage_customs.htm
Anyway, my friend Megan brought me that communion thing, so I wanted to type it up. It's awesome. So I'll end with that....it's pretty long, but if I didn't think it was worth reading, then I wouldn't have taken the time to type it all up! :) Trust me, it's worth a few minutes:
"Most of us who are not Jewish completely miss the full meaning of the communion cup, which is symbolic of betrothal - a covenant to marry. The first major step in a Jewish marriage was betrothal. By Jesus' time it was usual for such a covenant to be established as the result of the prospective bridegroom taking the initiative. The prospective bridegroom would travel from his father's house to the home of the prospective bride. There he would negotiate with the father of the young woman to determine the price (mohar) that he must pay to purchase his bride.
In ancient Jewish betrothal/courtship/wedding proceedings, the groom would bring with him a wine-skin of wine, a prepared speech, a document of his intentions, a Bride-Price, and gifts of adornment. If the father accepted this price, the woman then indicated that she agreed to marry the man by drinking the cup of wine which her suitor poured for her. The drinking of the cup indicated her commitment to marry him and was legally binding; she could not change her mind after this and marry someone else. So once the bridegroom paid the purchase price, the marriage covenant was thereby established, and the young man and woman were regarded to be husband and wife. From that moment on the bride was declared to be consecrated or sanctified, set apart exclusively for her bridegroom. This is a little different than our traditions of today of not calling the couple husband and wife until the wedding ceremony.
The betrothal period would then last for a year or more while the groom prepared a bridal chamber for them in his father's house. When he was finished with the preparations, the groom would come for his bride at an unknown time to her. It was important that she be ready at all times for his coming.
In a very similar way we have been bought with a bride price: the body and blood of our Bridegroom Jesus Christ. When we accept Jesus Christ's shed blood for us we are in essence accepting His proposal of marriage. When we drink the communion cup, we are renewing our covenant with Him, reminding ourselves that we are betrothed to Him - set apart for Him only. Just as the Jewish groom left his bride to prepare a place for her, so has Jesus left to prepare a place for us, and will someday come at an hour which we know not. It is important that we be ready at all times for His appearance for us His Bride, which could be at any moment.
Being engaged to the King of Kings is no small honor. It needs to be constantly on our hearts and minds - the conscious awareness that we belong to Him, that we are set apart for Him, and that we need to be ready at all times to greet Him when He comes for us.
'For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.' (I Corinthians 6:20)
'In my Father's house are may mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.' (John 14:2-3)
'Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.' (Revelation 19:7)."
http://www.singleness.org/devo/dev_060.shtml
http://forums.crossmap.com/thread335.html
http://www.biblestudymanuals.met/jewish_marriage_customs.htm
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