We take communion at Riverwood every week. Some time ago, we used to take it monthly. We used to take it with grape juice and crackers. Now, we take it weekly, with wine (grape juice is available for those who don't partake) and a wonderful homemade rosemary bread.
Communion, to the non-initiated, is a sweet time where we symbolically partake in the Lord's Supper. Every communion, we hear this (from Luke 22):
"19 And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, 'This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.' 20 And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, 'This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.'"
Tim, Eric, and Jimmy put together a great series of devotions on what communion is, the meaning of it, and also what communion isn't. I'm not going to re-hash that now, but I will say that I used to see communion as a time of repentance. Back in the day, with the grape juice and crackers, I used to pray, "God, I am so sorry for my sins, thank you for loving me, thank you for saving me, thank you for who You are." Then, it was all about trying to bridge the distance between me and God. Which wasn't a bad thing, but I'm not sure that repentance is what communion was pointing us to.
Over the past couple of years, my eyes have been opened to a different meaning. I also didn't realize the significance of taking communion weekly. Now, however, due to the meaning and frequency, I crave it. When we celebrate the sacrament of baptism rather than that of communion, I feel a pang of being slightly let down, even though baptism is just as important. Now, this is how I pray: "Joy, joy, joy! What a relief! I am being given a chance to participate in the new covenant, but it's not because of my own efforts, it's because of yours! Hallelujah!" Sometimes I don't even pray that. Sometimes I just sit there with a big grin in my heart. Sometimes I talk while the cups are being passed out. I mean, what's the point of being solemn? This is huge, this communion thing! Do we even understand how revolutionary this is, that we are being changed by the One who claims us, who redeems us, who loves us? I know that I really don't, I won't til I'm done and fully sanctified. But, what a gift! One of my favorite things is looking for the biggest piece of bread, the biggest portion of wine, and taking it. One time, I even accidently took two pieces, and I wasn't even sorry. The homemade bread, the wine, the partaking of it together with my covenant family...all of this seems designed to me as excellent symbols of the promise, of the blessings I am given, freely given, rather than the blessings that I might pass on or the blessings that might depend on me.
Yep, I'm greedy for this time. Hopefully at some point in my life I'll be a little less greedy with the bread and wine.
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