Wednesday, August 9 – 1 Corinthians 11:27

Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy way, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord.

We usually wash our hands before we sit down for a meal. We do this because we understand that we naturally come to the table dirty, maybe not visibly, but with germs we have picked up throughout the day. We know the importance of this kind of practice physically, but it is one we often forget spiritually. We may come into a church service ready to participate, but we have often not prepared our hearts to worship the one true King. This passage is a reminder that the Lord’s Supper is serious to God, and we should take it seriously as well.

If you have not made the decision to follow Jesus and make Him the Lord and Savior of your life, the Lord’s Supper is not a moment to try to blend in and follow the crowd. It is right and okay to abstain from this practice if you are not a follower of Jesus. Alternately, if you have been living your faith on “autopilot,” the Lord’s Supper is an opportunity to repent and move forward in your walk with Christ. Like coming to the table for dinner, it is important for us to prepare our hearts: repenting for where we have sinned against God, reconciling with those we have enmity with, and asking forgiveness for our sins against others. In this moment, look at your heart and observe the work God is doing in your life to allow Him to heal and restore areas of brokenness and hurt before taking part in communion.

• What does it look like to prepare your heart for the Lord’s Supper?
• What are some reasons we might fail to do this?
• Pray and ask God to help you prepare your heart before coming to His table.