16 Apr

In Communion

posted by Lisa Huddleston

“Do this in remembrance of Me.” (Luke 22:19)

This past Sunday, my church family celebrated the Lord’s Supper. As is our custom, the “body” of Christ was passed back and forth along the pews on silver trays, and each believer in the sanctuary carefully extracted a single piece to hold until all were served and the pastor had asked God to bless it. As I held the bread between my thumb and index finger, really more of a square, cracker-like substance than bread, I noted the powdery white residue that clung to my fingertips, and a thought began to grow in my mind. Yes, I know I should have been praying or meditating, but sometimes my mind has a mind of its own. (Is such a thing possible?) Anyway, I noted the fine powder on my fingers and began to think of how communion with the Lord should leave just as visible an impression on my life as the “bread” did on my hands.

Next came the “blood” in tiny plastic cups, and again, while we waited, I pondered the thimble full of watery juice. Fruit juice … Adam and Eve ate forbidden fruit which brought death into this world. I too have sinned, and the fruit of my sin is also death. In His death, Christ paid the price for my sin and made the once-for-all, perfect sacrifice. Death cancelling death. Forbidden fruit, the fruit of my actions, and the fruit juice in my hands representing the blood of my Lord spilled in a purple stain, a lasting impression that cannot be removed. Nothing can separate me from the love of Christ which this cup represents. And then it was time once again to pray.

The church in which I was raised called the Lord’s Supper by a different name, Holy Communion. While both names are good and right, I am glad to be reminded of the meaning of communion. My World Book Dictionary defines it as a “close spiritual relationship,” and that is exactly what it represents to me. Because Christ was willing to put Himself in our place, to condescend to be with us, we can have a true relationship with the One who has been from the beginning. He bent down to see us face-to-face as a father bends to speak with a tiny child and lifted us up to be His own, to make us heirs in His kingdom. By His grace, we are forever changed, transformed in the Spirit, impressed forever by this holy communion with the Holy God. With purple lips and white fingertips, we do this in remembrance of Him.

Dear Lord, cause me to do everything in remembrance of You. May I always be aware of your great grace and the remarkable change that your gift has made in my life. Let me leave your fingerprints on everyone and everything I touch, the powdery residue of a true communion with my Savior. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Filed in: Cross, Forgiveness, Prayer