Communion

If you've only ever taken communion at church, you're missing out. Within the last year, I have adapted my own personal communion time. When I started Redeemed Collective, I had a time of prayer and communion and dedicated our website to the Lord. I personally like to have my regular communion on Sunday nights, so that it sets the tone for the week for me. Communion is a time of prayer, remembrance and connection with the Lord.

If this a new concept for you and you are a little confused about why you would need to take communion more than they do at your church, let's stop and think about how they did it in the new testament. Jesus took communion with his disciples at what we commonly refer to now as the last supper. To us, this holds major historical and spiritual impact. To the disciples, living in the moment, they were at dinner during Passover week. Additionally, we know that the disciples instructed the new testament church to be cautious with how much wine they were drinking with communion... at dinner, in their homes, when they were having church or gathering together for community. Typically, in true American church fashion, we limit something as beautiful as communion to Sunday morning.

Communion is a beautiful, restorative practice that refocuses your mind on Jesus. Yes, taking it at church is a wonderful representation of how we are one body, many members, dedicated to Christ. But personally, communion is a time of resting in God's presence and letting His peace surround me. There is a definition of the word commune that reads like this: [to] share one's intimate thoughts or feelings with (someone), especially on a spiritual level. If this sounds beautiful to you, it is. Let's look at some "communion at-home" basics.

Communion At Home:

Elements: Traditionally (per the text), communion is taken with bread and wine. Obviously, you can still take it this way, but if you prefer to choose alternatives to these elements, we have a list for you.

Bread: Crackers, chips, any solid food (I use goldfish a lot of the time...)

Wine: Juice, water, any liquid

Scripture:1 Corinthians 11:23-25 23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

Bread element: Typically, I follow this order: read the Scripture, pray and take the bread (or goldfish cracker).

Scripture: Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

Prayer example: Lord, thank you for your sacrifice, your salvation and your eternal love. As I choose to sit and remember you and reflect on all you have done, I am reminded again to be more like you in all that I do. Thank you for healing my body and mind, and for restoring me to fullness.

Wine element: Follow the same order as above: read, pray and take the element.

Scripture: In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

Prayer example: Lord, thank you that you sacrificed all of who you are for me. You saw me and loved me, even knowing all the sin I would commit against you, and against the people you love. Thank you that your grace and mercy are new every morning. Thank you for caring about my soul and spirit. Make me more like you every day.

Following the wine element, I usually pray or take a moment to meditate on what I feel the Lord is saying to me. Sit quietly. You can just rest. If you don't "feel" anything, you didn't do it wrong. Jesus is bigger and more dynamic than we give Him credit for, ever. Make communion a regular part of your spiritual practice and see what He teaches you.

Be at peace in a world of chaos.