On my way to find the kids, one of the dads of the kids in my group stopped me. He asked if I could explain the meaning of communion, since his kid was asking what communion was. Apparently, the boy had walked into the service just in time to see people lining up to get tiny pieces of cracker and tiny cups of juice.
I was prepared to tell a story about one of Jesus' miracles, the one where he healed a man's eyes with dirt. I ditched that story and quickly attempted to formulate some kind of lesson plan around communion. I told the kids about the story of Jesus' death and resurrection, and told them that communion is supposed to be a reminder. I taught them that whenever we take communion, we are reminded that (1) Jesus forgave our sins, (2) Jesus gave us hope, and (3) we live our lives to please God.
After the short lesson (these kids have very short attention spans), we went and played outside. While I watch the kids play, I started thinking about that simple lesson I just taught them and realized that the lesson is still relevant for the 23-year-old me.
Jesus forgave my sins. It's easy how, sometimes, I easily forget this truth. What is wrong with me? It's the one truth that defines my existence. It's what I'm supposedly basing my life on. Jesus went through all the hassle of living a human life, suffering on the cross, dying an excruciatingly painful and humiliating death, and then defeating death by rising again to take away the sins of this world. Including my sins. It implies that I owe him my life. I owe him my existence.
Jesus gives me hope.
"The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death." (Would quoting J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter in a faith-related post be considered blasphemous? I certainly hope not.)The wages of sin is death (Ro 3:23), but Jesus' resurrection defeated death and gives us the hope of eternity with Christ. I feel that it is very easy to go through the day's itinerary, check off to-do lists, and forget the reason that life is still worth living. I feel that some days, I have to choose to remind myself that I am here today, and I can be unafraid of the future, because of the hope that I have in Christ.
I live my life to please Jesus. Is my life pleasing Jesus? I feel like this is the question that I have to keep on asking myself. I recently pondered about choices and the process of making choices. Honestly, I have to confess that when I make choices about my life and about my actions, I don't usually stop myself and ask if this choice is pleasing Jesus. I believe that it's a struggle. There are other individuals, most often it is myself, that I want to please. Clouded by fleeting emotions, my priorities get mixed up and I end up making choices that, in hindsight, I regret later. It's a struggle. But I owe him my life.
In today's world, full of the hustle and bustle of life, I pray for myself. I pray I may never forget to remember.
