November 29, 2012 - Acts 27:35

            “After he said this, he took some bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all.  Then he broke it and began to eat.”  Acts 27:35.

            After fourteen days of being caught in a hurricane, the ship on which Paul was a captive passenger was about to shipwreck on the island of Malta.  The crew and passengers hadn’t eaten during the whole time in the storm, and Paul exhorted everyone to take nourishment, they would need the strength provided by the food, before the ship wrecked.  As everyone on board was coming together to eat, Paul lifted the bread toward heaven and thanked God for His provision.  The scene looked very much like a communion service or sharing the Lord’s Supper, and it was very similar to what Jesus had done with his disciples during his last meal with them before his crucifixion.  For Paul, this was quite a remembrance of his Lord’s last meal, as well as a real celebration of their survival.

            I really enjoy coming together with others to share the Lord’s Supper.  I have some wonderful memories of different, various times of celebration, yet there is one that stands out.  Many years ago, a large group of us were traveling together by bus home from a conference, and our bus broke down.  We were stuck in the middle of nowhere and had very little money and no food.  We knew our replacement bus was on its way but didn’t know when it would arrive.  We decided to pool all of our resources together for one last meal, knowing that this would be all we would eat for another day or so.  As we were giving thanks, eating and celebrating together, a group of people who had been to the same conference heard of our plight and gathered their resources to share with us.  It turned out to be plenty for us to make the trip home comfortably.  We celebrated, gave thanks to God for His provision, and broke bread together in the middle of our stormy conditions.

            Questions to consider: What does taking communion mean to you?  Do you have any memorable communion experiences?  Have you ever experienced the breaking of bread in the middle of a storm in your life?  What was that like for you?

            Prayer: Father, thank You for the opportunity to remember the Lord’s sacrifice for us in the communion experience.  Each time I experience this, I remember and am deeply grateful for what You did for us.  Amen.