When you share in the Lord’s Supper does your gratitude for His indwelling Life well up within you? Is your expression of this time one of sacrificial love; no longer desiring to live for selfish interests, but for Jesus who gave Himself for you? The Lord wants our hearts to be right before Him, and Paul has given us a few things to consider as we prepare to partake in the Lord's Supper.
"Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged." (1 Corinthians 11:27-31)I'll admit this exhortation from Paul used to worry me, for the truth is none of us are sinless, and how could I be sure that my heart was absolutely right? That I wasn't harboring any ill-will towards others and so on.
If you're like I was once, I'm hope I can put your mind at ease and help with some things we can reflect on as we come to His table. And mind you, this isn't an exhaustive list, just a few things worth pondering.
1. Your covenant (promise) with God. When you became a Christian you promised God you would honor Him
by living in a way that was wholly pleasing to Him. You
agreed to be His child and He agreed to be your God. The Lord's Supper can be a time to renew our commitment to be all that we
can be for our Lord.
2. It's a time to reflect on the body of Christ. All that He did,
He did with His body, and it is
still through His body, the church!! We are the hands and feet of Jesus today. What has He asked you to be doing, and are you doing your part in the body of Christ and helping Him impact this world today?
3. He called Himself the Bread of
Life. As you hold the bread in your hand ask yourself, am I sharing Him with others? Ask Him to call to mind others who are hungry for answers to their soul’s deepest longing, and seek His help in going to them.
4. The cup He had to drink for you. (Mt. 26:42). It contained mocking, scourging, spitting, nails, and abandonment. I've always hated the idea that my sin nailed Him to that cross. This cup you drink from of during the Lord's Supper spared you from all of these things which you deserved. Finally,
5. Think about His blood.
As you look upon the fruit of the vine, think about how He willingly shed His blood for you. I personally love the saying that goes something like, "even if you were the only one, He would have died for you." This moment might be a good time to ask the
Lord to help you never take for granted all He suffered for you.
These are just a few thoughts I try to reflect on as I take communion or the Lord's Supper. I'm sure there are others, and I'd love to hear your thoughts, if you'd like to share, but for now let's just be grateful!
Lord Jesus, thank You for giving Your life up us, so that we can enjoy a new and abundant life in You.