Things are not always as they seem.

A simple word of encouragement can bring someone back from the brink. A hug can be the reassurance someone needs that they are not alone.

This Sunday many Christians will celebrate the Lord’s Supper, also called “Communion.” Some churches do this weekly, some monthly, and some four or five times a year.

The first Sunday in March is a popular time for Communion. “And [Jesus] took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19).

Communion is one of the “means of grace.” Rosaria Butterfield explains: “The ‘means’ are channels by which the grace of God is ushered down from heaven for your life, your help, your comfort, and your growth in holiness. Through them, the Holy Spirit enables believers to receive Christ and to apply Christ in all hardships of life.”*

With that in mind, there are certainly times when bread and wine (or juice) are more than what they seem.

It used to be the case that elders of local churches personally examined each member of a congregation before they could participate in Communion. They would do house visits to accomplish this. Further, you risked not being a member in good standing if you weren’t in attendance for Communion.

As far as I know, most churches don’t do that anymore. But something we need to revive is a distinct appreciation for Communion and all that it means. If it is a means of God’s grace in our lives and is something he has distinctly ordained to sustain, help, comfort and grow us, why would we be nonchalant or dismissive about it?

Bread and wine (or juice) seem simple enough. But things are not always as they seem. They are channels of God’s grace. He uses them to sustain you, help you, comfort you, and grow you.

Whenever you next celebrate Communion, prepare yourself in prayer, with gratitude, and with attentiveness to the glorious grace of God.

Things are not always as they seem.

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Notes:

— “Understanding the Lord’s Supper.” This is a podcast I put together a while back to help people understand this Sacrament more fully. Click here.

—The Up Devotional is published 5 days a week (Monday-Friday) and returns on March 4, 2024.

—*Rosaria Butterfield, Five Lies Of Our Anti-Christian Age (Wheaton: Crossway, 2023), 85. 

—Bible quotes are from the NIV.