Growing up, there was an inscription on the communion table at my church: “Do this in remembrance of me.” It felt very solemn, and as a child, I often feared that if I didn't remember Jesus while taking communion, something terrible would happen. Perhaps God would strike me down.
Even though I’m thankful God has yet to strike me down, I do think there is a certain reverence often missing in communion. We get used to going through the motions and forget to remember the life that Jesus lived, to be thankful that he was our sacrifice, to dream of spending eternity with him. We say we want more of Jesus in the songs we sing, but we are often too busy for communing with him throughout the day.
In the Old Testament, sacrifices were extremely messy. The worshiper became vulnerable when bringing their first fruits to the Lord. What if the worshiper couldn’t provide food for their family? And even if they had enough, they probably had some attachment to the animal. To sacrifice the creature that had been living alongside them would hurt.
And yet Jesus turned this painful, messy altar into a table, a place of feasting, where we joyously lay down our sin and cling to the promise of forgiveness. The blood and the body become a symbol not of the horror of the sacrifice but of the hope and redemption that we have in Jesus.
Let’s remember Jesus more in our daily lives, not just during communion. Let’s look forward to when he comes again, waiting with the same fervency as we wait for the weekend, a vacation, or the return of a loved one.
Jesus is the one who is worthy of all our time and reverence—now and into eternity.
Abigail Skelton is from beautiful Southern Oregon, where she grew up with an avid love for Jesus, chocolate, and writing. She has lived in three countries while involved in missionary work and frequently travels and studies foreign languages. You can connect with Abigail on her website: https://abigailskelton.com.
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