šš«š¤ Christās peace and presence be with you. Closing out my four weeks of Advent focusing on four gifts that I am thankful for, this fourth week Iām focusing on the gift of Holy Communion.
Matthew 26:26-28:
āWhile they were eating, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and giving it to His disciples and said, āTake and eat; this is My body.ā
Then He took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, āDrink from it, all of you, for this is My blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins.ā
Holy Communionā¦itās not just communion. It is the true body and blood of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In reality, there were many years that I took receiving Holy Communion for granted. It wasnāt until I was going through my divorce and annulment and was no longer able to receive Holy Communion, that I realized how important receiving the Lordās body and blood was to me. Holy Communion is a very personal gift, which is why it can be so hard to relay to others. I actually find myself at a loss for words. For me, Holy Communion is about being in complete oneness with the Lord, His real and true presence within me. Which is why I find it important to be purposeful and respectful when receiving Him into my body.
When people come to my home, I let then know our home is lived in, so expect that lived in look and feel. Although my home is not perfectly put together and always ready for company, I do some straightening up and preparation before guests arrive. This makes me think of when I was a realtor. Looking at some of the realtorsā advertising pictures, if they walked through the door right up to you, you wouldnāt have known it was them, because for their advertisements they primped and covered up all their flaws, in an effort to be perfect and desirable to potential clients, but by doing so, they often left themselves unrecognizable in everyday life.
Thatās not what God wants from you. He doesnāt want you to wait until youāve covered up enough of your flaws or you and your life seem perfect, in order to received Him in Holy Communion. Something that I really like about our God, is that He is a ācome as you areā God. He wants you to come to Him as you are, in truth, humility and meekness. He is looking for you to come as you are, prepared and ready to receive and accept Him into your precious body, as a sanctuary for His holy presence.
Really think about that for a moment. He physically wants to make His home within you. Yes, you! Can you hear Him? Heās calling to you. He wants to be with you. He chose to come to earth. He chose to physically walk and talk with us. All along knowing what He would have to endure at His crucifixion. He knew this, yet He chose to come and make Himself known to you, so that you could choose the hope, peace, and love that only He can offer. Remember, all along, His purpose in coming to us during this celebration of Christmas was all for the purpose of offering us salvation through the cross and abuse He chose to bear for you and me. So, celebrate His gift of salvation and Holy Communion. It was so important to Him, that he was willing to die for you.
Bless others and be blessed.
Shelly :0)
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#Crowder ā Come As You Are
Third Day Devotions 