Series: Communion Meditations

Joyful Discovery

By Greg Swinney Columbus Day was recognized as a federal holiday in 1937 to celebrate Christopher Columbus”s heroic voyage of adventure and discovery. Many people working in banks, public offices, and businesses will enjoy a day off in recognition of the discovery of America. Maybe you are someone who is blessed with an employer who will close the doors and give you the day off. Now might be a good time to gain a better appreciation for the spiritual significance of the holiday. In one of his journals, Columbus wrote, “I am a most noteworthy sinner, but I have cried

October 2, 2015

‘Woe to Me!’

By Greg Swinney A nervous group of university students stood outside the barbed wire fence and steel gates of the state prison on a windy fall afternoon. The group of about 20 students joined hands to pray before entering the prison to lead a worship service. Just before he bowed his head to pray, the volunteer chaplain said, “We are expecting God to do a mighty work today in the hearts of the inmates here. If any of you need to quietly confess any sins or shortcomings to the Lord, please do it now. Unconfessed sin hinders the work of

September 25, 2015

A Glimpse of Tomorrow

By Tom Ellsworth At the time many condescendingly referred to it as “Seward”s Folly”””because U.S. Secretary of State William H. Seward brokered the deal and was its biggest promoter””but the purchase of Alaska from Russia was anything but foolish. Rich in gold, copper, and oil, its value has far exceeded the 1867 purchase price of 2 cents per acre. Part of this grand acquisition (twice the size of Texas) is a tiny island with a big story. Only 2.8 square miles in size, Little Diomede Island rises out of the water in the middle of the Bering Strait and is

September 18, 2015

Two Kings

By Tom Ellsworth Malchus was not your ordinary, run-of-the-mill slave; he was the trusted servant of the influential high priest. As the armed band of soldiers approached Gethsemane, Malchus undoubtedly was at the forefront, leading with all the clout of Annas and Caiaphas. He would help arrest the notorious rabbi, Jesus, or die trying. This man was no innocent bystander; he was eager to protect the rule and authority of his master. As Judas slithered up to Jesus and branded him with a kiss, the fireworks began. In an act of noble loyalty, Peter drew his stubby sword and lunged

September 11, 2015

The One Who Found Them

By Tom Ellsworth On July 30, 1945, just after midnight, the heavy cruiser USS Indianapolis was torpedoed while en route from Guam to the Leyte Gulf in the Philippines. The resulting explosions so damaged the cruiser that it sank in only 12 minutes. Amazingly, nearly 900 crew members made it into the water. Since the Indianapolis was unable to radio a distress signal, no one knew to look for the ship until it didn”t arrive in port. Consequently, after it was determined the Indianapolis was missing, no one knew where to look for survivors””if indeed there were any. The shark

September 4, 2015

The Power of One

By Tom Ellsworth One really can make a difference. It was a sweltering election afternoon in 1842 when Hoosier farmer Henry Shoemaker finally realized he hadn”t voted yet. Shoemaker had personally promised state representative candidate Madison Marsh he would cast his vote for him, so he saddled his horse and hurried to Kendallville before the polls closed. When the votes were counted, Marsh and his opponent, Enos Beall, were tied. There was one contested ballot, and it was Shoemaker”s. When his vote was finally admitted, the tie was broken, and Marsh was declared the winner . . . by one

August 28, 2015

All of Us Have Rocks!

By Steve Wyatt Some successful real estate developers gathered to discuss a possible joint venture. To their surprise, the group”s leader began by describing his most embarrassing failure. He explained how his eagerness to make a killing caused him to overlook one important detail. He added, “I”m more careful now to get all the facts before moving out.” The person beside him admitted he hadn”t always been a genius, either. He once purchased land for development that, unbeknownst to him, was sitting on solid bedrock. But the youngest member was reluctant to share his big flub. Instead, he fumbled around

August 21, 2015

The Scars That Heal

By Steve Wyatt The venerable apostle Paul was reminiscing about his ministry exploits in a letter to the believers at Galatia. He”s nearing the close of his letter when he suddenly states, rather matter-of-factly, “On my own body are scars that prove I belong to Christ Jesus” (Galatians 6:17).1 And that”s all he said. No additional embellishment, no “please feel sorry for me.” Just the facts”””I”ve got some scars.” And yet, in the very same paragraph, Paul also said, “But I will never brag about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Galatians 6:14). You see, Paul had

August 14, 2015

Reaching Down the Throat of Evil

By Steve Wyatt Bill was walking with his 10-year-old daughter and her small dog. Without warning, a neighbor”s pit bull rushed at his daughter”s dog. Bill quickly lifted his daughter and her pet to the roof of a nearby car, but the pit bull jumped onto the car”s hood and then onto its roof and savagely grabbed the smaller dog by its left hind leg. Bill saw the pit bull release its powerful jaws in an attempt snap at the neck of the smaller dog, so he reached into the pit bull”s mouth and grabbed its tongue. The dog bit

August 7, 2015

No More Soggy Slippers

By Steve Wyatt It was winter in West Virginia. Snow had freshly fallen and I, a 9-year-old geek if there ever was one, was wearing my cotton-flannel Zorro PJs and a brand-new pair of monster feet slippers. Something happened that was not to my liking (I can”t remember what it was), so I announced I was leaving. Moving out. Running away. No sooner had those words exited my mouth than Dad leaped out of his chair, grabbed a medium-sized suitcase, and proceeded to pack my bag. In less than three minutes, I was standing all alone on the front porch

July 31, 2015

City Communion

By Daniel Schantz “I . . . am like a sparrow alone on a housetop” (Psalm 102:7). The city can be a lonely place, and on this Sunday morning you are utterly solo. Your husband is on the road, and the kids are at grandma”s house. You are a worship widow. You take a seat near the front of the auditorium, looking around to see if there is a familiar face, but you recognize no one. The lights in the auditorium dim, and the video screen flashes to life with lovely nature scenes””a yellow field of wheat against a blue

July 24, 2015

Country Communion

ByÂ Daniel Schantz “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you” (John 14:27, New King JamesÂ Version). You arrive late at the little country church that is surrounded by lime green sycamore trees. Late, because you had a tiff with your wife at breakfast. The pianist is playing “The Old Rugged Cross” on a piano that is slightly out of tune, just like you. Just as you and your wife take a seat, several farmers stand up and make their way to the back of the auditorium. Their faces are red from sun labors, except for their foreheads

July 17, 2015

Feeling Close

ByÂ Daniel Schantz “The soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David . . .” (1 Samuel 18:1). The word communion means “to share” or “to have something in common.” Although it is more than just a feeling, the feeling is rather nice. Communion is what you feel the first time you fall in love, and she loves you back. You can almost read her mind, and when she goes away, your heart breaks. Communion is what you feel in the middle of the night when your wife is trembling from a nightmare and, gently, you wake her from

July 10, 2015

A Good Meal

By Daniel Schantz “For this reason many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep” (1Â Corinthians 11:30). Church services are well underway in a smalltown church of a hundred souls, when a little girl of 10 meanders down the center aisle, looking for a seat. She looks confused, as if she has never been inside a church before and she doesn”t know where to sit. Her bony shoulders are draped with a rag of a dress and her hair is matted and greasy. Her fingers and arms are gray with ground-in dirt, and she looks starved. At last she

July 3, 2015

A Good Thrashing

By Daniel Schantz “The punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). Sixteenth-century England was the era of the “divine right of kings,” when kings believed they were appointed by God and could do no wrong. During this time, the king alone was allowed to discipline his own son, the prince, but kings were often busy or out of town. Even when they were available, kings tended to be indulgent, and thus princes were often spoiled. The solution was to hire a “whipping boy,” someone to take the beatings the prince

June 26, 2015

Worship Worship & Prayer

Three Ways to Sing a Common Song

By Mandy Smith For many Christians, singing hymns in a group is still a meaningful experience. An a cappella version of “Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow” can induce goose bumps, especially when those harmonies chime in on the “A-men.” While we don”t usually dissect the meaning of this practice, there are reasons why singing as a group is powerful. The simple act of singing old songs about God to God with each other reinforces three things that are central to our faith: We are devoted to God through Christ, We are devoted to him together, and We are

June 19, 2015

Ordinary Sacredness

By Mandy Smith We know Jesus instituted the Lord”s Supper during the Passover feast, which Jews have celebrated for generations. Passover is an annual festival remembering God”s salvation of his people from slavery in Egypt. Like all celebrations of annual holidays, it takes much preparation and is a turning point of the calendar. So, as good Jews, Jesus and his disciples prepared and celebrated this feast together. But Jesus knew this Passover would be different from all he”d celebrated before, because he knew his death was imminent. The food is a central part of the Passover feast, but so are

June 12, 2015

Communion, Our Constant

By Mandy Smith The old Sunday school song goes, “Since Jesus came within and cleansed my soul from sin, I”m inright, outright, upright, downright happy all the time.” But very few Christians could honestly say they feel happy all the time. While we may retain an undisturbed, deep joy, it”s normal for any Christian to have moments of spiritual high and spiritual low, to feel close to God and far from God at various times, to have times of great faith and times of great doubt. One helpful practice that allows us to survive the darker times is to overlook

May 29, 2015