Intentional Communion

When you hear the word communion if you have any exposure to faith you likely think instantly of the solemn ritual of the Last Supper where Jesus shares his final meal with his small group of followers.  

Or maybe you think of it as some solemn "quiet time" where you spend a set amount of time reading Scripture.  

That one is torture for me!

Yep, I will own it, I am called to ministry.  Pursuing a degree in Biblical Studies and reading my Bible in some ritualist expected fashion is worse than the Spanish Inquisition for me!

I suppose it could be because I instinctively associate not "reading your Bible" enough or as expected with the threat of punishment it held for me as a child. 

 Seriously!  I remember as young as 8 or 9 years of age, sitting in "chapel" at the school I attended trying to determine which story I could pull from memory enough if someone decided to grill me on my "quiet time" that morning.  I do not really remember if that ever actually happened to anyone around me, but it was definitely a fear for me.

Sadly, that concept of being punished for not spending enough time with God has overshadowed a lot of my adult life.

Communion:

The sharing or exchanging of intimate thoughts and feelings, especially when the exchange is on a mental or spiritual level.

Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it.  Then you will be prosperous and successful.

Joshua 1:8

Blessed is the one... whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night

Psalm 1:1-2

There are things that are starting to reshape my perception of what communion looks like.  Rather than a set number of verses or making my way through a year long devotional, I am discovering communion with God in moments of spiritual whitespace.

My brain retains concepts rather than exact information.  I connect concepts in Scripture to real life and I am starting to recognize that I do this in a way that is supported in Scripture!  From the early days of Israel's inception as a nation, Joshua is reminding them to mediate on God's word.  

Just reading it, only creates a mere string of words.  Meditating on it creates opportunity.  Opportunity to share and exchange thoughts and ideas with the God, who created us.  Opportunity to ask how any one verse of Scripture applies to me personally.  Opportunity for self-discovery as we allow ourselves to find pieces of our story in the stories of David, Paul and even Jesus.

For some the ritual of reading a set number of Scriptures each day for a certain period works.  It ensures that they have moments of time set aside to connect with God.  For so long I have held myself up to that model, feeling like a complete and utter failure because for me it doesn't work.  The reality I am learning is that there is no magic formula for connecting with God on a daily basis.  It looks different for all of us.  I can read one passage and dissect it for two weeks!  Others need to get the idea and move on.  Still others need to commit the verse to memory word for word.  

The thing I am learning in this season of life is that communion with God looks different for all of us.  There is no perfect model.  It has a unique look and feel for each and every person because God meets us where we are.  

Mine looks like a marinade.  

What does yours look like?  

If you don't know if yours is working or want to try something new, I would like to invite you to join me in reading Whispers of Rest by Bonnie Gray.  It is a 40 day devotional and there is even a book club you can join!