Remembrance

Spongy white morsel in hand. I hear.

The Lord Jesus, on the night He was betrayed took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it, and said, "This is my body which is broken for you. Do this in remembrance of me."

Everyone's hands move toward gaping mouths together. Mine follows. The white morsel sticks to the roof of my mouth. I chew. Swallow.

Every second Sunday this happens, yet this is the first time in three months. Cambodia kept me away from the Table.

Suddenly, I listen. Familiar words pierce me.

In the same way He took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me." For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes.

I hold the tiny glass in my hand. Red juice glimmers. I trace the edge with my finger and struggle to hold it steady as tears overflow the rims of my eyes. The glass blurs. 

"In remembrance of Me..." 

How many times have I heard those words and not remembered?

The white morsels stick to the roof of my mouth, the glimmering red juice flows down and yet my heart does not remember.

I hear, but do not listen. 

What does it mean to remember?

"To recall to mind by an act or effort of memory."

The act is this sign of eating and drinking, but it can be easy to act without remembering. Remembrance takes effort. We must preach to ourselves all the while. We must recall to our minds what our Lord has done for us by an effort of memory.

I am crucified with Christ. I no longer live. Christ Himself now lives in me. By placing this tiny glass to my lips I am proclaiming that the Lord has died to cleanse me of sin and that in Him I too have died. I proclaim that I am one with Him; I take in His life through my mouth and through every pore of my body. He makes me live; without Him I am dead. 

Over and over, day after day, hour after hour. Preaching. That's why we begin to grow cold away from the Word, both written and living. When we don't spend time reading and praying we begin to forget Him, and in that we forget Life. 

Communion, we call it. And it brings life, because it helps us to remember, and how can we not live in it every day? Sustaining food from the Lord's Table which we receive monthly as His Body, meant to remind us that His food is available daily because He dwells within.

Cold stagnation comes from forgetting. The flame of warmth and the strong bond of love are fanned when we remember.

The tiny glass is empty now. I let my hand warm it, tears still warming my face, and I sing in a whisper:

Christ, be the center of my life, be the place I fix my eyes. Christ, be the center of my life...

 

2010: A Journey of Grace

Twelve months ago 2010 dawned upon me, and the sight that it revealed was many times different than what this new year has illuminated. Dazed and confused, struggling to trust the Saviour despite a complete loss concerning what to do with the coming year. I was clinging to Him by a thread, and though I would find myself in that position many times throughout the course of twelve months looking back I see that His grace has only made me stronger.

It was the end of January, the end of school and a long summer loomed before me. I had to plan, or three months of freedom would be wasted. The path that I walked last summer was not a road I chose for myself. If I had had my way I would have chosen the comfort of a summer I had lived once before, a summer within the confines of my comfort zone. He had a different idea, and so after finishing school strongly I left my home for Africa, feeling weaker and more insufficient than I ever had before. "My grace is sufficient for you," He said, "Watch as I perfect my power in your weakness." Six weeks later the struggle was just as real, but so to was His perfecting love and power. I returned from Africa forever changed, ready and willing for the Lord to make whatever He wanted of me, even if it was wholly unexpected. He is already doing just that.

Upon return home another trial awaited me. I had expected my last year at home (before college) to be a laid back gap year, filled with the pleasures of ease. Instead I found myself plunged head long into a fifth year of highschool. After several weeks that too became an experience of grace and trust.

As 2011 dawned this morning I found myself in much the same position that I was a year ago, wondering where I would be a year from now. My summer is undecided, the beginning of school in the fall is undecided, but unlike twelve months ago I am not confused and frustrated. His grace has granted a refreshing sense of assurance, an assurance that His power can only be made perfect in this weakness.

May the Lord bless you all as you seek His face in 2011.

Remember

Our minds are amazing things. We can keep track of the list of things we need to accomplish, we can remember facts, dates, and names. We can call to mind past experiences in order to make decisions about the future. But even though our minds were designed and fashioned by Almighty God, and are a reflection of his wisdom and splendor, they are still human, and they are still tainted by sin.

We can remember assignments and the latest news, but we go for days without once thinking about the millions who live in darkness all around the world. We fail to recall a Bible verse to our minds for hours on end if for no reason than to enjoy it and draw courage from it. While living inside the domain of our comfort we shut out any reminders of the ever present ugliness of the world. Some things are painful to remember, somethings bring tears to my eyes when I draw them out of my memory bank, but oftentimes remembrance is necessary.

The Cross was horrific, and yet the Lord commands us to take communion "in remembrance of me." If we did not set aside time to consciously and purposely remember we never would, and therefore, we would never have cause to rejoice in his redemptive sacrifice. If we do not take time to remember the suffering of the world we will forget to fight to share Christ's redemption with it.

The following is the chorus of a song I wrote reminding us to "Remember."

Remember the pain, the nails I took for you.

Remember the pain, that you see before your eyes.

Remember the pain; why do you do what you do?

Remember the pain, and don't give up the fight.

Remember the pain, because they're fighting for their lives.

How to Keep Christmas All Year

Christmas is over. *sigh* As the New Year celebrations die down, and everyone begins to pack away their festive decorations and sparkly lights a severe case of post Christmas blues has plagued me. I am sure some of you have also experienced this melancholy feeling. We look forward to Christmas for so long (or at least I do). Everyone is filled with the joy and anticipation of the season. But as soon as the last gift is unwrapped, and the final ornament is tucked away in an obscure box that won't be seen again until after Thanksgiving, an odd sadness seems to come over me. So, how do we keep the spirit of Christmas alive when the lights are no longer up, and we aren't singing carols around the Christmas tree? How do we keep the joy of Christ's birth in our hearts, and on our faces? Surprisingly it doesn't require leaving your Christmas tree up all year round, or singing Christmas carols once a week. Here are some helpful, and practical ways to remain joyful throughout the year (without mistletoe or candy canes).

1. Keep Giving

Christmas is a season of giving. We get excited about finding the perfect gift for that special someone, and we cannot wait to see their face when they open it. Giving increases to charities as we care for those less fortunate than ourselves. Giving is a big part of Christmas... giving to others is a wonderful feeling. We can keep the spirit of Christmas alive if we continue to give. As we continue to bless others we will be blessed. I really don't think that the Lord intended for us to only give at Christmas time anyway. :)

2. Count Your Blessings

Around the holidays we often reflect on the ways we have been blessed throughout the previous year. We remember and share memories, and we make new ones. As we are surrounded by family and friends all filled with the joy and hope of the birth of Christ we realize how blessed we are. Christmas may be past, but never forget to count your blessings, and as you do you will experience a bit of Christmas joy no matter what time of year it is.

3. Spend Time With Family

Christmas for many people is a time when we reunite with loved ones that we may not have seen since the Christmas before. As we catch up with each other we are encouraged and inspired by their stories, the struggles they endured and the victories they experienced in the last year. Families are wonderful if your spirit needs refreshing and your heart needs encouragement. Spend time with your family, even if things are busy. We tend to get caught up in the busyness of the world after Christmas is over, but take time to listen to the stories that your family has to share, they can inspire and encourage you all year long.

4. Be Reminded

As Christians our focus at Christmas is the birth of Christ. But when December slips away and January dawns we seem to forget why we celebrated Christmas at all. We get swept away in the rush of life, and we fail to remember the beautiful gift we received on Christmas through the birth of Jesus Christ. Jesus is not only the "reason for the season," but the reason for life. I encourage you to keep a subtle reminder of that great gift close by throughout the year. A small nativity scene would be a wonderful way to remember why we celebrate Christmas, and to keep a little Christmas joy with you throughout the year.

If you have any additional ways that we might drive away the post Christmas blues and keep the spirit of Christmas alive all year long, let me know by commenting. Joy to the world, the Lord is come!