We had Communion

 Yesterday in church, we had communion.

Aside from whatever focused commentary is given by the pastor during communion, it's routine for me to quietly acknowledge the breaking of his body and to consider his painful sacrifice. (Um, ouch). So after I receive the elements, I break it between my fingers before I lift it to my mouth along with everyone else.

But yesterday, with several pieces of wafer (body of Christ) now broken and pinched between my 2 fingers, I realized that I may have taken this step a little too soon, because the pastor continued to speak longer than expected. 😳 As he did, teensy tiny crumbs began to fall off from my hand onto my dress.

I watched a few collect in my lap and thought about the fullness of Jesus' sacrifice, and how many are faithful to receive some, but not all of His purchase. 

What exactly did he die for?

Through His death, what has been made available to us? This is a question I love to contemplate. It's like an elephant in the room of every interaction I have with another believer.

Had I taken this free gift as just a ticket to "eternal salvation" after death, NOTHING in my life would be what it is now. 

When I received the gift of eternal life, I received a totally new identity. I became a new person. Like- for real. I'm not just saying that. It's not just a spiritual identity change. My life supernaturally transformed into a culture of attributes and tendencies I HAD NOT PREVIOUSLY BEEN EXPOSED TO. Fairly quickly, everything around me was totally different. The way I talked, interacted with others, responded to conflict, parented my kids, regarded my spouse, and how I spent my time on a daily basis. Not only that- My physical world changed drastically. DRASTICALLY. 

Where I lived. -There was no longer a sketchy lady knocking on my door at 2 am for a cigarette and 2 rolls of toilet paper 🤣 every other day. (Oh, I quit smoking and drinking.) 
The vehicle I drove changed. -My baby no longer had to suffer a cold and windy drive to daycare because the back seat window was broken.
My bills were paid. -Low income housing in the projects became a thing of the past. 
My bank account looked different. My credit score rose. A house was purchased. 
The clothes in my closet- I had some, and they weren't donations from a shelter closet. 
My countenance, hope for the future, and even my perspective: appreciation, empathy, understanding and peace about the past changed.

Prior to Jesus, all I saw laid before me was a well-paved path to repeated dysfunction and brokenness. After Jesus, I was translated to a totally different path. Everything was different. And He is still setting me free, revealing the crumbs I fail to grab hold of. Where would I be if I hadn't known all He has done for me? 

What are the “crumbs” of His sacrifice that we're failing to partake of? 

Relationship restoration? Wisdom and insight? 

Physical healing? Financial stability? 

The identification, development and use of gifts and talents? Freedom from fear? Emotional regulation?

I challenge you to seek for yourself, what is His GOOD AND PERFECT Will for our lives? Study the Word! His promises are there.     (See Deuteronomy 28 & Galatians 3)

Isaiah 43:19 
See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.

(Sidenote: The act of taking communion is important and holy, but don't be confused. Dropping wafer crumbs isn't significant. The consideration of what the wafer represents IS.)