Meeting with the Beloved

April 27 2020

By Kathy Makuakane, Exec. Asst. to the Senior Pastor

Soon after I became an Elder at First Prez, I was given the opportunity to help serve Communion. This particular Sunday, we had Communion by intinction, when people come forward in a line to take a piece of bread, dip it in the cup of grape juice, and receive the Lord’s Supper.

The person holding the plate of bread says, “The body of Christ, given for you.” The person holding the cup of juice says, “The blood of Christ, shed for you.” On that Sunday I held the cup representing Jesus’ shed blood. What happened during that 10-minute experience deeply moved and profoundly changed me.

For years, the faces of people at church seemed to tell me that most were doing well in their lives. Occasionally, someone would go through something difficult, but mostly, people were fine.

I saw something very different that day. Nearly everyone I served revealed an expression of raw vulnerability and deep need. Many were obviously in pain, some were crying. I quickly became aware that I was witnessing a moment of complete honesty and surrender between a person and their Savior, something incredibly sacred. Across the board, God was meeting with His beloved in their struggles. And it took every ounce of strength I had to not melt into tears.

During this pandemic, it is much more obvious that we are all struggling on some level. This is hard, but God is here. He is ready in any moment to meet with us, to forgive us, to heal us, to encourage us, to save us, and to give us hope.

Take a moment now to remember what He has done for you, and be reminded that He will never leave you or forsake you. He wants to meet with you. His beloved.

I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss. Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in Him!” The Lord is good to those who depend on Him, to those who search for Him. So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord. (Lamentations 3:20-26)

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we need You. Thank You that Jesus gave His life for us and that You are always there for us, even in our struggles. Thank You that You love us. Please speak to us now. Let us hear Your heart as we give You ours. In the faithful name of Jesus, Amen. 

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