So there was communion at my church yesterday. No big deal, except for the fact that most of the church members weren't aware and had no clue. Usually, there are announcements and so forth, or a note in the previous church bulletin. My church holds communion about once every three months, not every single service. I've been to churches where they have communion every single Sunday, and it has very little meaning, because it's just a quick thing to get out of the way, something they do every single week. At least, that's the way it was at the churches I've been to.
What Jesus experienced with his disciples was so incredibly special and full of meaning, that when we have communion at our church, I like to think and prepare spiritually the week beforehand. I didn't get this opportunity yesterday. But that's the cool thing. God still had a lesson for me.
It was a reminder that Jesus wants me to come to Him, just as I am, whether I'm "prepared" or not. Whether or not I've had time to dwell on Jesus' promise that He would not drink anymore of the fruit of the vine until He can drink it with us in Heaven. The important thing, is to come to Him, and accept from Him what He can offer to us.
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4 comments:
It's interesting, but I grew up always hearing that I had to prepare myself for Communion during the week. I know the sacraments are special and symbolic, but I always wondered what makes the week before Communion Service so different from every other week. Shouldn't we spend every week evaluating our lives and repenting of our sins? How wonderful for you to experience His acceptance just as you are, just like He promised.
Yep
We should evaluate our lives and repent on a daily basis, not just once a week, once a quarter or once a year, such as Yom Kippur.
But I remember the one time I prayed for the Lord to send me a partner for the footwashing. Someone I needed to serve. Someone that perhaps I had misjudged and done wrong. And of course, He sent the last woman I would have wanted for my partner, but it was an answer to my prayer. I prayed silently for the Lord to forgive my hard heartedness and judging of this woman. I saw her differently then, and she has since become a neat friend. But this experience only happened as I thought about the upcoming communion service and asked the Lord to help me.
So, preparation is good, but coming just as you are is good too. God gives us both at some point in our lives. Praise the Lord!
There is no guarantee that having communion once every three months will make it any more meaningful either.
In a previous church we belonged to, the church librarian actually came in during ladies footwashing and gave us a 12 minute talk on library policy. The preacher read the entire service from the Bible as if he was dull and had never done it before in 17 yrs of pastoring. It was the WORST communion service we ever attended.
I agree that we should prepare on a daily basis- not just when we know the service is coming. Does that mean that we only do heart-searching every 3 months or so? Maybe there is a good reason why some churches do it on a weekly basis.
Whether it's meaningful or not boils down to whether you have a living relationship with God. It should never be dull having communion once a week or every 3 months. Are we connected to the Savior? Are we resting in His merits? Are we forgiven and do we forgive??
It's all about relationship.
The relationship with Jesus Christ.
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