i was scrolling back on old posts on facebook this morning, and found where about a month or two ago, i wrote that my daughter (now 6 years old) took her first communion. and while she has never "officially" accepted salvation, i was so proud of her for being willing to listen and pray regarding the bread and the "wine" (grape juice).
she was in the service that morning because our church no longer has classes for school age children. she asked me to take part in communion, and i said that it was only for people who have accepted Jesus as their Savior. she said she had (i don't think she has). i find this funny because deep down, she probably just wanted the juice and cracker. but i took this opportunity very seriously to share with my small child what a real communion was all about. when the crackers were passed out, i shared with her the breaking of Jesus' body. when the juice was distributed, i explained His blood. we prayed before and asked forgiveness of our sins, we prayed during and after, thanking our Messiah for His sacrifice. i was blessed because calli was very serious during the whole thing. in fact, i'm blessed every night when she asks for family prayer time and when she herself prays, when she reads her Bible to me, and every sunday morning when she raises her hands in worship during the music. that little girl, officially "saved" or not, blesses me!
anyway, i noticed on my facebook post about this communion that someone simply commented "1st Corinthians 11:26-30." (note: i erased this post so as to protect the identity of this person) i didn't recall ever reading that, so i looked it up. it states that no one unworthily or unholy can accept communion and that was why so many were "weak and sick" because they took communion, basically, without proper credentials. (without being saved, i.e. admitting you need a Savior, and belief that Jesus was who He said He was and is)
now, i'm not saying that this person meant harm whatsoever. i have great respect for this individual. but it did get me thinking. that morning when my little girl took communion, i wonder what God saw. was it mud i smeared on His Son's death and resurrection when i allowed an unsaved girl to "eat of His body" and "drink of His blood?" was He disappointed or disdained with me? or did He see the heart of a woman who desperatley seeks out to please Him despite her daily failures, and a mother who desires to teach her children His ways and precepts? what did the Father see that morning?
which got me thinking further..what IS salvation? when the original communion took place, there had been NO death on a cross yet! His disciples were merely "saved" because they followed Him, they learned His ways and left all behind to seek after Him. abraham, isaac, jacob, king david, and on and on were "saved" because THEY BELIEVED and had faith in Him. and, in the Bible, it states that unless we become "like little children," we shall not inhereit the Kingdom of Heaven. this was said in the context of having faith like a little child who trusts in his/her parent for their very life. it is not a prayer that saves, it is not a terrible sinful road one goes down and THEN they can be saved, it is about believing, following, forsaking all, and recognizing we are a mess without our Messiah!!!
so, i wonder... calli knows what sin is, she believes in our Savior, she asks for forgiveness of her sins, she has a desire to read the Word and pray...does this mean she's "saved" ?? i guess now, at age 6, all that matters is that i'm teaching her truth and pray that she walks in that truth her entire life...but let's go one step further than a potentially unsaved 6 year old taking communion....
what about the ADULTS that morning taking communion? out of ritual..out of habit...out of pressure from whomever was sitting next to them. were there some in there with unclean hearts? some who didn't ask for forgiveness of their sins, some who had unforgiveness themselves? what about them?
so i ask you..make your own doctrinal/emotional/spiritual/mental conclusion...what pleased the Father the most? the tender young child, praying while a mother teaches her about the sacrifice of a Savior? or the unclean heart of an adult, the judgemental eye of an elder who thought maybe calli was too young to participate? i don't personally know what He thought, but what i do know is that i have two little girls and my own heart who desires to please Him..and for now, today, that's all i need to know.
No comments:
Post a Comment