“Mom!”
A common call as my daughters filter through the door after school.
Sometimes, that one word is carried in a tone of distress, said slowly, indicating it was not a great day. Other times, a daughter shouts it as she rushes in the door, cheeks red from the run home, excitement oozing out around the word; she has something fabulous to share!
Whatever type of day was had, I want to hear about it. If you’re a parent, I bet you know the reason. It’s not the drama, the dry details dragging out the hour; it’s because I love my daughters and I care about what they care about.
Isn’t it amazing to think our Heavenly Father feels the very same about you and me?
Maybe like me, you are challenged to come to our Heavenly Father in the same manner. Do we rush to Him when we have great news to share, or come to Him for comfort when the day was a long, disheartening experience filled with disappointments and disasters we thought would never end?
There’s a word for that communication: Communion.
What do you think of when you see that word?
The ritual of taking bread and wine at church?
Spending time with friends?
An ancient term with biblical roots that probably doesn’t apply to 2020?
Dictionary.com has several definitions, including reference to the act of Holy Communion, taking the elements of bread and wine symbolizing Jesus’ sacrifice.
That site also has definitions reading, “interchange of sharing thoughts or emotions; intimate communication,” and “the act of sharing, or holding in common; participation.”
Communion with our Heavenly Father is so much more that religious ritual. God loves to hear from us! It’s not that He doesn’t already know our thoughts and feelings about events and situations; He loves us to talk to Him, inviting Him into those mental conversations in our heads.
Just like a parent loves a child to tell about his day, and explain his thoughts and reactions to those events, God loves to hear our hearts expressed through conversation with Him.
When we invite Him into the conversation, we are also setting the stage to listen to Him. To allow space for the Holy Spirit to whisper a reminder of a Bible verse and Truth into our hearts. To allow His comfort to soothe our pinched souls.
Just like my daughters sometimes need to unburden their hearts to me at the end of a tough day, we also need to relieve the weight of the day’s challenges with the Lord. And sometimes, just like my girls’ excitedly sharing their celebrations, we also get to share our joys with a Father who celebrates with us when we have those days overflowing with blessings.
I can’t imagine doing life without constant conversation with my Heavenly Father. Having His wisdom and guidance to nurture my growth, silence my inner critic, and to provide a constant underlying positive tone in my life. Communion with Him helps me stay focused on what is truly important, grounds my thoughts on what will truly impact my life and others’, and remind me what is eternally important.
And, I like to think, that just as I take immense pleasure at hearing, “Mom!” as the front door flies open and a girl rushes in, He smiles when His child comes seeking His company, commiseration, and consolation. Just as I love wrapping my arms around a girl consumed with events in her day, I believe He loves enveloping us in His love and peace, assuring us everything will indeed work out. He has even this. He promises, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28, NIV)
Communion with God is not just a command; it is a privilege we as His children are entitled to. We get to come to Him with everything. We don’t have to. Our hearts, our souls, and our lives are better when we spend time with Him, recounting and processing the events of the day.
Just as Jesus instructed us to practice taking the elements of the wine and the bread, “Do this in remembrance of me,” we may need reminders that we can come to God.
Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, we are no longer separated by the words of our mouths or the actions of ourselves; we have the ability to humbly approach God and the right to curl up in His arms.
The only question remaining: will I choose to do just that?
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You for the privilege to come into Your presence, Your wisdom, and Your love. You loves me with an unending love, no matter what. You care about both the big and little details of my daily life. Remind me that I can come to you with the daily grind, and You will help me see these things as You see them, help me to process them in light of eternity. You will show me how to shine Your light for others. Thank You for Your promise to work all things out for my good. Thank You for the privilege of coming to You as a child comes home to a parent. In Jesus’ name, Amen.