Today’s scripture: Luke 22:14-23 (ESV-text and audio) (KJV) (The Message)
As you read, consider: What might God be saying to me? Summarize your thoughts in a sentence or two.
My thoughts (Carla Peck):
Today’s passage reminds me of being a kid at one of those family dinners that goes awry. You may have experienced this too.
The dinner begins with an extraordinary desire to be there, the anticipation of great food, an enticing aroma, and the table settings are all lined up. The meal moves along perfectly fine until someone is insulted, hurt or a controversial topic goes astray. Voices rise, dishes bang, cabinets slam and ultimately someone stomps away from the dining room. Anger and pain and the feeling of a foot in the gut replace the original hunger pangs. Those who remain at the table exchange curious glances and recount the events, or change the topic. Another may leave in an attempt to rescue the person who left.
At the Last Supper Jesus is eager to share a meal with the disciples and somehow, in spite of knowing he is going to be betrayed and suffer, manages his emotions well enough to be fully engaged as he shares a beautiful communion celebration with his disciples. This communion celebration is still commemorated in churches worldwide thousands of years later.
Jesus offered the bread as a symbol of his body and the cup as the new covenant in his blood. Each time we gather together in worship we have the opportunity to partake in communion in remembrance of Jesus. Our church practices an open Communion, where all are welcome. Those who are celebrating Communion explain that our altar is God’s table, prepared for all the people of God.
I wonder what communion would feel like each Sunday if I approached this spiritual meal in my church community with the same eagerness and anticipation as Jesus did with his last meal with the disciples.
Prayer for the day: I pray, Lord Jesus, that you will help me to live my life in eager anticipation of serving you and your honor and remembering the sacrifice you made for me. You died to forgive my sin, and I thank you for this. Amen.
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.