Communion Chaos

Ever since I was little I have served communion at my Church.  In fact, I have done communion so long I feel I have become some what of a prodigy; when new people start helping with communion I feel its my responsibility to step in and show them the ropes.  In all my years of service I had never had anything go terribly wrong...that is until a couple of weeks ago.  This particular Sunday felt like any normal Sunday, another Sunday of masterful "passing out of the elements," when towards the end of my designated section I RAN OUT.  With only three people to go, there were no more crackers and no juice! Panic set in.  Would these people still get to heaven?  So I told the three "lost sheep" I would be right back, I would go get some more flesh and blood, but as I walked away our Pastor began his sermon.  So I gave up and went back to my seat.  The whole time our Pastor was speaking I kept getting dirty looks from the three people jipped out of communion. At first I felt embarrassed, then I felt angry.  Who were these people that they could get upset with "the prodigy."  I mean its just a cracker and some juice (probably sugar free), so what's the big deal.  It's just symbolic, it doesn't have any real power.

In Exodus is the account of Moses receiving the 10 commandments from God.  Moses is in the mist of leading Israel to the promise land, but along the journey God calls him up the mountain for a chat.  The Bible records Moses was gone for a good amount of time and while Moses was gone Israel grew impatient.  So Israel builds a golden calf to worship until Moses comes back.  I have often thought of the value of God giving Moses the 10 commands as something tangible to show Israel, as if  the 10 commandments would replace the golden calf they made.  I think God understands the value of symbols, of having something you can see and feel to help us worship Him.  Jesus himself was flesh and blood, the same flesh and blood that makes us.  You could see Jesus.  I think God knows we have short attention span's and if we don't have something physically getting our attention, we will waver.

After my horrific communion experience I now look at communion different.  Communion now has a more meaningful feel to me.  I understand communion is important, because it points us to the sacrifice of Christ.  It unites us with the very moment when Christ died for our sins, and made us Children of God.  Don't underestimate the power of symbolism in your relationship with God, because God gives them to us as a loving gesture to remind us that WE ARE HIS.