Wednesday, February 23, 2011

The Lord's Supper

This past year living in Zambia, God has REALLY stretched me and made me think differently about things. One of the main things He has shown me is that MY way, the way I think things are supposed to be, don't have to be the ONLY way.

Since I was 7 years old, I have been participating in the Lord's Supper. Once a quarter, perfectly shaped square of tiny cracker, little plastic cup, red grape juice (or wine for Blu at Ocker, but that's another blog!), and even a fancy cupholder to put your cup in afterwards. That is the way it is "supposed" to be.

Last Sunday, I got the chance to participate in my first Lord's Supper in a Zambian church with Zambian believers. The pastor's wife came in late because she was baking the bread in her outdoor oven. She was also carrying the pitcher of bright green koolaid. I tried not to laugh, as I thought of the verse, "This is my blood which was shed for you.." When they passed out the big plastic coffee mugs, I wondered if mine had been washed, and in what kind of water. When I reached for a small piece of bread, I saw flecks of dirt on it and noticed it was covered in ants. I tried to inconspicuously wipe them off while inside my head I was freaking out. There weren't enough cups to go around, so half of us had to eat/drink and then wait for the other half.

As I ate my bread, and drank my juice, I thought of how precious these Zambian believers and their ant-covered bread and bright green juice must be to Jesus as they remember His death for them. And all at once I knew, that this is the way the Lord's Supper is "supposed" to be.

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