I laughed in church today. During communion. We had just received the elements. I took the bread. I drank the cup. And as I sat there repenting over my sin, I felt the Lord asked me, “What are you talking about?” And the worship leader was singing, “Oh, precious is the flow that makes me white as snow! No other fount I know…..Nothing but the blood of Jesus!”
I realized all over again that when the Lord looks at my life He doesn’t see the sin and the mistakes and all my shortcomings. He sees Christ. He sees Christ’s blood. I am white as snow!
And a laugh spontaneously bubbled up. It was how one laughs when she knows she is free. It was a laugh like my littlest son makes when tumbling all over me and blowing raspberries on my cheek. He knows he's accepted. It was a laugh that said, “What energy I have wasted continually repenting of the same weaknesses when God is ready to lift me up!”
I don’t know that I’ve ever laughed during communion. I’ve received it without much emotion. I’ve also received it and cried. But, I don’t think I’ve ever laughed through communion. It was so freeing and so wonderful! I think maybe Jesus threw His head back and laughed with me. Maybe He was picking me up and twirling me around and rejoicing that I finally remembered that I was His!
My husband just finished writing a term paper in which part of it examines the early church breaking bread together. He called it the Thanksgiving Element of their worship. Remember that the Passover, which is what Jesus was observing when He instituted the communion ritual, was a feast of thanksgiving. It was a time when God’s people recalled how and when they were set free from bondage. Communion, while sober in the recollection of Jesus’ suffering, is supposed to be a celebration of freedom!
“When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The Lord has done great things for them.” Psalms 126:1-2
“Surely God does not reject a blameless man or strengthen the hands of evildoers. He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.” Job 8:20-21
Notice God's unutterable waste of saints, according to the judgment of the world. God plants His saints in the most useless places. We say - God intends me to be here because I am so useful. Jesus never estimated His life along the line of the greatest use. God puts His saints where they will glorify Him, and we are no judges at all of where that is. ~Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest, August 10
1 comment:
What a wonderful way to think about communion!!! Praise the Lord for we are forgiven of our sins and we truly belong to Him!!!
RLR
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