Holy Communion is sort of my personal New Year or rebirth. That may sound ironically selfish, but stick with me. You see, when I have the opportunity to join with fellow believers in Holy Communion, I view it as a cleaning of the slate. A moment when I come into the presence of God and genuinely seek cleansing of my corrupt mind and heart.
A medicine for the soul. And antidote for worldly poisoning.
This is all pretty important as we consider Jonathan Edwards’ 53rd resolution, showing his quest to live daily – moment by moment in fact – with that sort of mindset.
Jonathan Edwards Resolution 53
Edwards’ Resolution #53 (as it was written)
Resolved, to improve every opportunity, when I am in the best and happiest frame of mind, to cast and venture my soul on the Lord Jesus Christ, to trust and confide in him, and consecrate myself wholly to him; that from this I may have assurance of my safety, knowing that I confide in my Redeemer. July 8, 1723.
Edwards’ Resolution #53 (in my modernized language)
To have an acceptable state of mind and heart in all moments, trusting and devoted to God, and knowing I am safely in his hands.
Communion with God is a personal moment that’s vital to your being. It impacts your heart and mind as well as how you come into communion with the world he’s trusted us with serving.
Your State of Mind and Heart When in Communion with The Lord
I think it is pretty telling that Edwards begins this resolution with a desire and a commitment. First, he desires to improve every opportunity. Not just approach an opportunity. He doesn’t seek to leverage it. Or optimize it. Simply, improve it.
And how is he seeking to improve it? With the right mindset. And a heart for serving God. I love his language saying “to cast and venture my soul on the Lord Jesus Christ.” Basically, he is mindful enough to know he is human and therefore has human motives. So, he asks God to strip him of those things. It reminds me of one of the greatest lines out of the Psalms;
Before we come into communion with our world, we must first come into communion with our God. Through it, our hearts become properly unleavened of all the world’s puffery. And then, we are of proper mindset for communing with the world.
Your State of Mind and Heart When in Communion with The World
Paul, in Romans, teaches and encourages us in a lot of ways. One such teaching is his desire for how we engage with God’s world.
Yes, the idea of a “living sacrifice” can seem extreme at first. Yet, this is exactly how we are to approach our daily living. In a perpetual state of worship.
Edwards uses the word “consecrated,” which is one of those old church worlds simply meaning to be devoted. In other words, having been washed anew, with the right mind and heart, we enter into our world with devotion to our Lord.
Edwards then states a need to have “assurance of my safety, knowing that I confide in my Redeemer.” in other words, we must be sure that the Lord will bless and offer us safety in the world.
Why? Well, let’s face it, most of us lack sufficient courage. We give into peer pressure and group think. And we don’t speak up even when our hearts tell us we must.
And that is how we become living sacrifices… with pure hearts, right states of mind, and the assurance of our God’s favor. Only then do we have the courage to come into communion not just with our loving father, but with the world he also loves.