A Note on Communion
A few years ago, I was asked to share a brief message during the monthly Holy Communion. God placed this message on my heart.
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September has arrived, and soon it will be Christmas with new year resolutions all over again. What about this year's resolutions? Have you remembered them? Or have they become just a figment of lost memory?
We all know remembering is hard in our fast-paced lives. News articles churn out every minute around the globe, and financial information is continually influenced by global events. With the internet, there's always something new to look at: latest news, gossip, recipes, comments. We live in a world so full of choice, and while choice can be good, its abundance can easily stray us from things of eternal value.
I don't know where you are in your walk with God, but simply being here, despite your circumstances, reflects a choice to put aside whatever could fill this time slot for personal gain. Instead, you've chosen to remember God's faithfulness and goodness. That's what communion is all about: remembering, not forgetting what was done so many years ago, in a time and culture so different from today – remembering that Christ bore the wrath meant for us upon Himself.
Hudson Taylor, in his calling to be a missionary to China in the 19th century, described how he came to a point where he found prayer a chore and the Bible dull and boring. He prayed, "Dear God, please give me some work to do for you, as an outlet for my love and gratitude."
For someone in love with the world, that prayer can be the hardest to utter. It's like praying, "Dear God, please send me some persecution."
Would you dare pray such a prayer? How would you respond if you found yourself pleading with that amount of burden? Would you leave it to the elders and leaders of the church? To the youngsters?
I've had the privilege of attending several churches in my life, and often I hear from older members, "You youngsters should do this and that; we've already done our part in our time." Sound familiar? Maybe you've heard it when you were younger, or perhaps you've said it yourself.
It's natural to push away responsibility, thinking we've earned a break, but this is worldly thinking. When we say such things, we declare ourselves Lord over our lives, bringing forward the finish line as though we know God's entire plan for us. We think our worldly economy translates equally to God's economy. May I remind you all, and myself, that in the Bible, we followers of Christ are described as disciples, soldiers, slaves, servants. Yes, we are more than conquerors, but not conquerors over our own lives. We're not bosses or owners of our lives. Through Christ, death has lost its sting, and we're reminded to continually press on toward the finish line God has set for us, regardless of age, ability, or disability. There is no retirement in God's economy.
It's easy to forget God. That's why we have communion: to remember. There are two ways to remember. The first is when things go wrong, and we start begging for a miracle. The second is when we are found in Him, when God is so real in our lives that remembering comes naturally, like how we remember to love our spouse or children. It's not forced; it just happens. That's how it should be in our relationship with the true and living God.
Relationship is the key to remembering. Relationship is the key to salvation.