Last week, our oldest daughter, seven-year-old Lilly, decided that instead of going to Children’s Church, she would go to “big church”. This really wasn’t anything new because in our former church, the kids were involved in much of the service, but since moving to Indiana in October, she’s not been in the “big church.” She’s been taking part in the kids program.
We sat together in “big church” listening through the sermon, and at the end, Communion was offered. She watched as it was served, not partaking, but silently observing what was going on around her, apparently soaking in more than I imagined. She didn’t say anything more about it…until today.
Today, we stayed home from church because mommy was sick. I was informed last night that Lilly would be preaching for our “house church”. After a quick breakfast, our “pajama church” began with Pastor” Lilly. We had singing, dancing, offertory, and then, it came. “Now, we’re going to have … what you had last week.”
“Honey, what do you mean?”
“You, know, mommy, where they gave you that stuff that looked like gum to eat in church.”
“Do you mean Communion?”
“Yes, Communion.”
“Mommy, what was that stuff that looked like gum that you ate during communion?”
I explained to her that it was like bread and that many churches use it instead of bread like she was used to seeing. She went on to pull out a package of peanut butter crackers and shared them with her sister…. their way of partaking in communion.
It was then, that I realized that although Communion is looked at as a sacred, it could also create some quite humorous teachable moments!
In Mark 14:22, it says, “While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take it; this is my body.” I realized that explaining communion as eating someone’s “body” to my seven year-old daughter might not be the best way to get her to understand it, let alone want to partake of it in the future. So, I simply explained that communion is a way that we choose to worship Jesus and celebrate His death on the cross. Communion doesn’t have to be something complicated or overly “sanctified.” It can simply be just that…an act of worship.
I’m thankful that God used a simple seven year-old to remind me how many ways we have to praise Him through worship!
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