During this time of contemplating the sufferings of Christ during His last days, let us turn our attention once again to the touchpoint it provides for us, two thousand years later, as we partake of the emblems of His death.
Then some began to spit at him; they blindfolded him, struck him with their fists, and said, “Prophesy!” And the guards took him and beat him. –Mark 14:65
The room swelled as if filled with something fermenting;
The walls wanted to bulge and burst–
My God
They beat that body (bread-white as it was,
Holy, and light)
With biting stings of ropes
They beat that soul
With mocks and witty barbs,
And logic, and irrefutable facts.
They led that body away
And there on the stained floor, left behind
Were the blood-drops of his pain
Trailing, shining,
Dark as dregs of summer wine.
And the Spirit of God circled
Like a calling bird over the congregation;
Then rested protectively on that brooding mass:
Lightly, lightly, lightly.
(c) 2000 Latayne C. Scott
Taking the Lord's Supper is not only a matter of eating and drinking. It's not just that our souls depend on how we think about it, how we approach it. It goes much deeper than that. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians that how we think about this serious business of communing with God is literally life or death; health or sickness. It's as if God is trying to get us to understand just how much this act of faith means to both Him and us.
I've written a lengthy study on the Biblical view of illness. It's provocative, I'm told. If you'd like an electronic copy of it please contact me via the contact page of this site.
