Chaplain’s Corner
Tuesday, September 5, 2017
Symbols
Greetings, Patriots!
This morning I wanted to speak briefly on a subject that can be as complicated or as simple as you want to make it. I was inspired to write this because of taking part in Communion at our Church on Sunday.
As most people know, Christians take part in Communion on a regular basis, due to the words of Jesus when he said, “And he 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 NIV
I know from experience that we can sometimes get so caught up in the ceremonies and symbols of life that we sometimes forget the importance of the realities that the symbols are there to remind us of. For example, we venerate the American Flag, and cover our hearts and pledge our allegiance, not to the cloth with the red and white stripes and the white stars on a blue background, but to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. What better reminder of our oath than seeing the reactions of our fellow brothers and sisters reaching out to the very real human needs in Texas as a result of flooding? That beautiful flag is a symbol of our country, and should symbolize a united brotherhood of people who lay aside their differences in time of need to answer the call to duty. We have been blessed to see an awe-inspiring outpouring of brotherly love deep in the heart of Texas, with warmth in our hearts, and a realization that the Republic that our flag stands for is very real. I have a renewed hope and love for my fellow Americans, and hope that this newfound brotherhood will not soon fade away.
That brings me back to the reason for today’s blog. As I take part in Communion, and reflect on the love of Christ, as He gave his life to pay for my sins, I am humbled by the meaning of it all. I also realize that sometimes we may take part in Communion as a matter of rote, or habit, rather than as a holy time of reflection. When we eat the bread and drink the wine (or grape juice) we are taking part in a simple, yet poignant ceremony that was ordained by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ Himself. Knowing human nature, and our sinful propensity to act in the flesh, rather than in the Spirit, He wanted us to have an organized, regular routine in which we could take time to honor His great act of love, and reflect on our own lives at the same time. Taking the bread and wine is our way of participating in Communion, but what does that mean to us? Does chewing a small piece of bread and swallowing a bit of juice save you? The emblems themselves are simply symbols of a greater truth. Jesus said that the bread was His flesh, and the wine was His blood. Since we are not cannibals, we certainly do not advocate eating human flesh and blood, so the symbolism here is important to understand.
What does it mean when you take Communion? Well, that can only be answered by you. Though it is usually done in a group setting, and enjoyed by the Body of Christ as a symbol of our love of God and acceptance of His loving provision for the forgiveness of our sins, we still have to reflect personally on what this whole ceremony means to us, and how it affects our attitude, disposition, and heart. We need to look at our walk with God, and regularly search for ways to leave our old selves behind, and embrace the new life that we have in Christ. We are to be transformed by the Holy Spirit, and our taking of the Communion emblems is to symbolize our surrender to our Lord and His will. It is not to be taken lightly, as the circumstances around the Lord’s Supper were not. It is not the act of drinking the wine or eating the bread that saves us, but the symbolic gesture that we take part in is a reflection of a much greater truth in our lives. We do this to remember who we are, and the great price that was paid for us. We do this to reflect and be sober about where we stand with God. We are humbled every time we take Communion, remembering that we are just dust, and God, in His infinite love, has cast His attention on us. It is a small, symbolic gesture to take part in Communion, but the ideas and the truths behind it are what is important. Please never let the symbol become more important than the life lesson being symbolized.
I ask all of my brothers and sisters to reflect on your daily lives, and ask yourself the hard questions. Where am I in my walk with the Lord? What am I doing in a positive way to attract people to the love of Christ? How am I living my life to promote God’s message to all of our neighbors? Am I reflecting the love of Christ in my own life? Though we are not saved by works, we also know that once we are saved, there are works that God has set aside for us to do, in obedience to His Will. Ephesians 2: 8 - 10 sums it up beautifully: “8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” - NIV
I pray that all of us will take time to reflect on our lives, our stand with God, and where we need to improve. We are all works in progress, and advance at various rates, but we must still always show advancement in the Kingdom. Being stagnant or going backwards is not an option. I ask you all to humbly pray that God will give you insight and wisdom and that the Holy Spirit will nurture you and change us all as we open our hearts to Him.
God bless you, one and all, and:
God Bless America!
Stephen King
Chaplain@3upi.com
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