The Meal I Served……Was Satisfying & Nourishing

Still in the season of Easter for a couple more weeks until we recognize the time when Jesus ascended to heaven, I am still pondering His great love for us. After I had served Holy Communion yesterday morning at church, I heard in my heart “You just served Jesus.” Yes, I did, but then I thought about two connotations of those words. We say “I served Jesus by feeding the hungry at the local food pantry”, or “I served Jesus when I gave to the poor”, or in yesterday’s setting, “I served Jesus as I served Holy Communion.” That’s what we do when we take on the servant nature of Jesus in loving, giving, serving others. Jesus gave the greatest example of servitude when He fed the hungry, healed the sick, cared for those in need, washed His disciples’ feet, AND gave them to eat and drink His body and blood in the bread and the wine, and then gave them the command to continue doing the same.

Matthew 26:26-18 “Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” Luke 22:19 “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

I am always overwhelmed in those moments with how much I want to help feed hope and pour love into the souls of those dear people. It's a diverse crowd – culturally, ethnically, young and old -- who make their way up the aisle to the “distribution center” to receive a meal of Jesus. Each one comes with a look of gratitude to receive nourishment again of He Who said “As often as you do this, you are remembering me.” (1 Corinthians 11:25). I see faces of joy and wonder and sometimes faces with deep furrows of sadness, and I offer up a silent prayer for them to be healed of whatever it is that is troubling them, and at the same time, I am offering to them God -- the ONE Who yielded Himself to become one of us and to be sacrificed as a lamb on the altar, but this one and last time became the sacrifice that takes care of all our failures and shortcomings from now through eternity.

I am always overwhelmed in those moments with how much I want to help feed hope and pour love into the souls of those dear people. It's a diverse crowd – culturally, ethnically, young and old -- make their way up the aisle to the “distribution center” to receive a meal of Jesus. Each one comes with a look of gratitude to receive nourishment again of He Who said “As often as you do this, you are remembering me.” I see faces of joy and faces of wonder and sometimes faces with deep furrows of sadness, and I offer up a silent prayer for them to be healed of whatever it is that is troubling them, and at the same time, I am offering to them God -- the ONE Who yielded Himself to become one of us and to be sacrificed as a lamb on the altar, but this one and last time became the sacrifice that takes care of all our failures and shortcomings from now through eternity.

This meal is satisfying, nourishing and never serves up indigestion or heart burn. Well, on the other hand, maybe there is a little heart burn, as when the two disciples said, “"Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?" Luke 24:32. Please, Lord, may my heart burn with passion for You as Your heart burned with passion for me enough to give me YOU!

Remembering to Re-Member

Here I am – back in Tulsa. Sis and I are working diligently on getting Mom’s Estate Sale ready, but not before many close friends and family members came and took a token of a special memory they had with Mom in the past. We’ve loved the “remembering” of such special and momentous times that are etched forever in our minds. Mom, at 95 years old, remembers so many of those special times and even helps us to remember.

Remembering AND re-membering. Like the “re-membering” definition above, Mom, Karen and I had been “re-membering” my dear husband (Mom’s boy and Karen’s big bro) and the ways he did certain things, his little quirks and his many abilities. We often recall how contented he was during his final year of adversity, and how he rarely complained. We recalled how very quiet he was -- quite the feat for a man who "fire-hosed" people when he was given the chance to give them an encouraging word. All such sweet re-membering that is so very important and brings us so much comfort. When someone shares how my sweetheart impacted and made a difference in their life, it blesses me so much. They tell me they will never be the same because he cared. They were re-membering that he played an important role in their life story.

My daughter brought a whole new perspective to the word, re-membering. She reminded me of a beautiful statue of Jesus that I had given to her and how, inadvertently, in a move, the statute was broken into many pieces. Very quickly, she embarked on the task to “re-member” Jesus. Carefully, piece by piece, she glued the statue back together again. In essence, she put Jesus’ members back together again. She remarked "And this is what Jesus wants us to be doing – to “re-member” His body (the Body of Christ) by striving to bring us all together.

Though we don’t stay in-the-past thinking “I wish I were back there again”, we do REMEMBER and RE-MEMBER those circumstances, and even trials, that were the fuel for kicking us upward and onward to turn tests into testimonies, messes into messages and trials into triumph. I think about dear friends and RE-MEMBER their encouragement and support that carried us through some of our worst times. And, now it's us helping others to RE-MEMBER their broken hearts and spirits by encouraging them and praying for them.

Most of all – RE-MEMBER the ONE who paid the ultimate price for you and me. RE-MEMBER how Jesus went about doing good. RE-MEMBER how He loved you and brought you out of a dismal life of despair to a place of joy and victory. RE-MEMBER to REMEMBER His Words at the Last Supper: Luke 22:19 “And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in REMEMBRANCE of me."

1 Chronicles 16:12 “REMEMBER His wonderful deeds which He has done, His marvels and the judgments from His mouth.”

Jesus reminded His disciples to REMEMBER: Matthew 16:9-10 "Do you not yet understand or REMEMBER the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets full you picked up?”

Today is the Ultimate #Throwback Thursday

#TBT -- Today is the ultimate #throwbackthursday.

This photo is one of the world's most famous paintings. It is the 15th Century mural painting by Leonardo da Vinci. The painting represents the scene of the Last Supper of Jesus Christ and His Twelve Disciples. You can see how aghast they were at Jesus' announcement that one of them would betray Him.

Today is Holy Thursday when we remember more than a painting. It is the day before Jesus' crucifixion when He shared a Passover meal with His disciples. That meal invoked what we know as Holy Communion (Luke 22:19-20) where we hear His words: "As often as you do this, you do it in memory of Me!" That night, Jesus, the One celebrated as a King just days before, became a Servant when He washed His disciples’ feet as an act of humility and service. "No," Peter protested, "you will never wash my feet!" Jesus replied, "Unless I wash you, you won't belong to me." He set an example for us -- that we should love and serve one another.(John 13:3-17). At church tonight, we will not only remember and receive His love in Holy Communion, but there wil be a foot-washing ceremony in commemoration of Jesus washing the feet of the disciples.

For 3-1/2 years Jesus had poured His life into these men. After all the miracles they had seen, the tender and merciful acts of kindness and love He had shown, the many times He had said, "Do not be afraid" to them, somehow they still just didn't "get it". Only John would be standing off to the side of the cross tomorrow. The rest of them were too afraid to stand with Him. What if we had been there? Would we, too, have cowered in fear?

It certainly gives me pause for who I am today. Am I a devoted follower of Christ....even to the cross to bear witness of Him and His love for me? During this season of Lent (which ends this week) we've endeavored to spend quality time in the Holy Spirit's Wash-A-Teria, purposefully desiring cleansing and purifying to draw closer to our Lord and to be vessels that He can use. I continue to take these words to heart today. "Lord, wash me, cleanse me, purify me so that I too may be presented as a vessel of honor to you. I've said it before, I say it again "The purer the vessel the greater the flow". What an incredible flow of mercy, love, forgiveness, servitude and sacrifice that flowed from Jesus then, and continues to flow to us today. Oh Lord, may we be your servants today -- to follow, serve and love You, and others, as You served and loved.

May this beautiful song, "Make Me Your Servant" be your and my prayer today: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rznoe3zKxM