By Halee Wood
During Jesus’ early ministry, many of his followers were ecstatic. Who wouldn’t have been? The vibe, the miracles, the fact that he was hanging out with sinners. Some of these people had been made to feel like complete failures by the legalistic Pharisees, yet Jesus was loving, healing, and spending time with them!
Jesus eventually began to say radical things that made many people feel seriously uncomfortable. In John 6, he said, “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life. . . . For my flesh is real food, and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them” (vv. 54-56).
Not surprisingly, followers began to disperse, saying, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?” (v. 60). Jesus then asked Peter whether he and the 12 apostles also wanted to leave. Peter responded, “Lord, to whom shall we go? . . . We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God” (vv. 68, 69).
Jesus’ words were mystifying at the time, but we now realize God is revealed to us in Communion. We were designed with a desire to connect with Jesus and a need for nourishment. There is both a visual and tactile aspect by which we perceive the emblems; it stimulates our thoughts and attention on Jesus.
Ingesting the food and drink nourishes our souls. It is tempting to fill emptiness with earthly things, but they always leave us still hungry, because our souls were designed to be filled by Jesus.
When taking the Lord’s Supper, use all of your senses: hold it, think about it, taste it, consume it, and allow it to consume you. Remain in him and he will remain in you. Whisper to him the same beautiful words Simon Peter did, “Lord, to whom shall we go? . . . I have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”
Halee Wood shares unashamedly about Christ’s grace and healing through loving, serving, teaching/discipling, writing, and speaking. Read more of her testimony and writings at runtheracetogether.com.
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