Bread and Wine

Day 32

July 20th, 2017

The two things it mentions in the Bible that I don't eat and drink anymore are bread and wine. We have communion at our church, but we use grape juice, so I don’t think that’s going to make me go back on the wagon. And really those little wafers we have are not going to ruin your lunch. The whole experience is supposed to be symbolic. But I was reading Richard Rohr’s Daily Meditation for today, and he said that “God can only be experienced through communion.”

Is that true? I have a hard time believing that because I feel like I have experienced God. But it is true that the times when I have felt closest to him is when I have been in pain. I always thought that it was sad that I have felt the strongest connection to him when I have needed him most. I wish that I could just close my eyes and feel how close he really is when I can when I am suffering, maybe because as Richard says, “[it’s] Christ in you that recognizes Christ.” And he recognizes my suffering because he too has suffered—much worse than me. I can’t even imagine his suffering, but there are times in life when I have to suffer too. And those are the times when I need him most.

But those are not the only times that I can have that close relationship with him. I looked up some scriptures about communion with God and found so many: https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Communion-With-God . My favorite verse about communion is in the only chapter I have left to read in the New Testament: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me” Revelation 3:20. If you look up the verses, they prove that God yearns for a relationship with us, which I know, but I never stopped to think that he might want to commune with us and what that means. According to dictionary.com, it is not only the “act of receiving the elements of the Eucharist” it is a fellowship and an “intimate communication.” Of course. What do we do when we share dinner with our family? And when we are lucky enough to have extended family get-togethers, what do we do? Many times we get together over a meal and fellowship. We break bread, maybe open a bottle of wine, we have our own communion. It’s not communion, but it can be very intimate and sometimes dramatic. But that’s okay too.

I think that God wants fellowship with us too. But I have found personally that if I cut the alcohol out of the picture, it dramatically reduces the drama. But that is only because I am already on so much medication for Epilepsy, that the alcohol is a dangerous cocktail.

When you eat with someone, you plan a time and place. You make a date, right? “Do two men walk together unless they have an appointment?” Amos 3:3. We can talk to God anytime, don’t misunderstand me, but we will be more likely to make time for him if we make it a daily part of our day, if we carve out time for him and make a date with him and he will be expecting us. Then we will form a relationship not only with him, but with his word. “As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for You, O God.” Psalm 42:1

Dear Lord, help me to carve out time for you each day. Help me to make a date with you so that you will be expecting me. I want to be close to you, not only when I am suffering, not only when I need you most, but every day. I want to be able to hear you when you call me. Amen.