(The second in Martha’s article series, Our Right of Entrance.)
The symbol of drinking His Blood is trying to get across to us that what you drink and what you eat enters into you and every part of you. It becomes part of your hands, part of your brain, etc. I read that in one square inch of your body are 35 miles of veins. So what you take in, goes into your body.
The Blood is not only ‘up there’ at the Throne (though it was offered there). The Blood is in some mystery accessible to our inner being. And until we take it into our inner being – not just as a ceremony – the ceremony represents the reality. To drink His Blood, you are receiving HIM. To eat His body, you are receiving Him by faith! And the ceremony is visible to the child that says, “I’m doing that!” And to take the bread is to take His life. He didn’t come just to forgive and then say, “Okay, now you’re forgiven, go do it.”
He came to BE the person He created you to be.
He came in to make that accessible and real and practical and actual. He came IN and to partake of His life means that I receive HIS acceptance of what I cannot bear. I receive His peace, His transcendence.
I can’t do it! I can’t live this life He’s given me. I can’t conquer sin!
And that’s really what we all are saying when we come to take communion. It’s confessing: “I can’t remain constant, even in the love of His will.” The staying power is in Him. So to take the communion is to take not just His washing, His healing, the Blood of His cleansing – it is to take the power that is in Him who alone can live a life that pleases God. He alone can BE me! The exchanged Life.
So the symbol is: I take Him in and I absorb HIM. It’s like meditating on the Word. You ‘eat’ the Word, meaning you take it in. You ‘chew’ it; meditation means chewing. You absorb it. And He says:
If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you.
John 15:7 HCSB
So absorbing the Lord as a reality inside this being – physically, emotionally, spiritually, heart-wise, and mentally – is to let Him come in…to receive Him. When we take the communion, we are receiving HIM by faith.
Copyright © 2012 Martha Blaney Kilpatrick
He came to BE the person He created you to be.
I can’t do it! I can’t live this life He’s given me. I can’t conquer sin!
These two statements are so bold, and I am not referring to the typeface! Thank you dear Martha for boldly speaking His Truth.
Have you seen how interesting and exacting is the Word?
ONE cup (ALL drink of it, the same cup for ALL)
ONE bread (each one has their share, not the same crumb).
Thank you, Martha for this treasure trove of truth concerning this mystery. What a transforming revelation to know that His Blood is not simply before the Throne of God but accessible and the Blood of God’s Son is meant to be assimilated into our very being. That is just so powerful!!I also loved what you shared yesterday: “The symbol is the REALITY”. Wow!! With your permission, I will be sharing some of this with our church family when we have Communion this Sunday.
Dearest Paul, What a privilege for His revelation to be given by you during communion. By all means you have my trusting permission
Wow! ” He alone can Be me! ” That just set me free! Thank you!
As I read this I realize that I should have said that first sentence of the 2nd paragraph this way:
The Blood of Christ is not only ‘up there’ in heaven (though it was offered there). The blood is in some mystery accessible to our inner being.
Thanks for bearing with me as I pray for accuracy to express this great mystery.
Haha! It is very well understood both ways. “heaven” or “Throne.” I agree with you THIS is the greatest and most shocking mystery. To “drink” His Blood and to “eat” His Flesh. WELLLL, that’s so beyond!!! How do you translate to human words such a huge thing, such a revelation of the Spirit, such a Reality? It is almost impossible! Probably there are many dimensions to it (as the Spirit moves and stirs), but some time ago I saw this as living bread “His Word” made alive in us, LITERALLY. And then His Cup of Wine (His sufferings), made also… Read more »
Yes Sam, that is Church!
Martha, this made me recall a “salvation tract” from decades ago showing a picture of a throne in a heart with capital letter “C” for Christ on it. The throne is in heaven and in we who are born from above.