Friday, August 11 – 1 Corinthians 10:16-17

Is the cup of blessing which we bless not a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is the bread which we break not a sharing in the body of Christ? Since there is one loaf, we who are many are one body; for we all partake of the one loaf.

It’s no secret that food brings people together. From family meals to church potlucks where everyone brings their special dishes, food has a power to bring people together in unity. We unite around our shared backgrounds or faith and our basic human needs: We all need to eat!

Paul reminded the Corinthian church of the unity power of taking the Lord’s Supper together. As we gather for this time, we are not just remembering the moments we’ve shared or the favorite foods we enjoy; we are reflecting on our deep need for reconciliation. Unity in the body of Christ comes as our need for salvation and transformation into the image of God transcends all our distinctions. We all share our need for the body and blood of Christ—no one can make himself or herself right with God outside of Christ.

Despite the unity food brings, we often still bring division to the table. We eat with people who are like us to avoid conflict, or we avoid talking about certain subjects for fear of others’ responses. If we’re not careful, we find ourselves falling into the same patterns of division in the church. Taking the Lord’s Supper is not just a personal act between us and God but a powerful reminder of our communal, uniting need for Christ in all things.

• Who do you need to seek unity with in our church?
• What do we miss if we isolate ourselves and only think about “Jesus and me” when it comes to the Lord’s Supper?
• Pray and ask God to help you seek unity with others in our church community.