Wednesday, July 1, 2015

I don't want to miss it

Do you ever feel like there's more going on
(than you are getting)
and just wish you would stop
missing it?
Like, a deeper meaning,
that (if you could just grasp it)
would bring you a gift of healing,
or a blessing of joy and peace,
or totally set you free?

I feel that way at Christmas,
and Advent, and Easter.
I long to slow down and savor the truth
(before it all passes, and I've missed it).

Communion is like that for many.
It is the place our sin collides
with God
our sin collides
with the worst pain
imaginable,
suffered by the most innocent,
loving, Son of Man
and our salvation is sealed.

You see,
"on the night he was betrayed, 
Jesus took bread,
and when he had given thanks, he broke it" 
Many of us thank God for our meal
before we eat.
But Christ picked up the bread,
and thought about
how God provided,
and He was thankful,
He thought about how the bread was like His body
soon to be broken
And He was thankful.
"and said, “This is my body, which is for you; 
do this in remembrance of me.” 
How could Jesus ask His friends,
to take the life
that lived to heal,
the life 
that lived to love,
the life 
that lived to show us the Father,
How could He ask us to participate
in the breaking of His body,
and eat?

This life 
that was fully God
and fully man.
This life that was knit together in His mothers womb,
that lived as a baby, a boy and a man,
that was tempted in every way we are tempted,
but without sinning
so He could offer His perfect life,
as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
A sacrifice,
made once,
and for all.

And just as bread nourishes our body to give us strength,
He desires His gift of life to be part of us,
to nourish us
and give us strength.

"In the same way, after supper he took the cup, 
saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood;" 
The old covenant was based on obedience to the law,
and was sealed by the blood of a spotless lamb.
The sacrifice was still imperfect,
and had to be made regularly.

But this New Covenant,
based on faith in Christ,
is secured by His blood,
the blood that flowed through the veins
of this perfect man
the very heart of God,
making a way for holiness,
and adoption,
into the family of God

He willingly makes this sacrifice
to wash us from our sins.
And He said: "do this, 
whenever you drink it, 
in remembrance of me.” 

For whenever you eat this bread 
and drink this cup, 
you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
Christ knew how quickly we forget,
how easily we get distracted,
how consistently we settle for less
than the joy and freedom He died for us to live in.

And He didn't want us to distort the truth of this gift,
or miss it's holiness, and benefit and blessing.
"So then, [He warned] 
whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord 
in an unworthy manner 
will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 
Slow down.
Consider the love.
Consider the gift
(represented by the juice and bread)
and be blessed.
Everyone ought to examine themselves 
before they eat of the bread 
and drink from the cup. 
For those who eat and drink 
without discerning the body of Christ 
eat and drink judgment on themselves.

before they eat of the bread 
and drink from the cup. 
For those who eat and drink 
without discerning the body of Christ 
eat and drink judgment on themselves.



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