Picture Dees #25 Getting the Stains Out

“Do this in remembrance of Me,” Jesus instructed us.

Those words were one of the last instructions given to us to follow. We are told to use the bread and cup as a reminder of what Christ did for us when He died for us upon the cross. It was there that He took with Him our sins in exchange for His forgiveness.

Different churches do this time of remembrance differently but the meaning behind what is being done never changes. I remember when I was young I couldn’t wait to be a part of the communion service, have you ever felt that way? I was anxious to see what the little piece of bread tasted like plus it gave me a chance to drink the juice mom didn’t like me spilling on the carpet.

Time past and I learned it was more than a mid-morning snack. What mattered was remembering that Christ died for a reason. We needed a door to open in order for us to get to Heaven and Christ was it. His forgiveness is the door handle that opens that door.

The sins we commit in the form of our anger, telling lies, cheating at school, picking on other kids, bad attitudes, disobeying our parents, and other disobedience put Christ on the cross. His blood took the stain out of our sins. As your mom works hard to get the stains out of your clothes, she doesn’t do it just so you can purposely get them stained again I’m sure.

Well the same with the stain removal of Christ’s love for us. He didn’t die just so we can get the stains of sin removed so we can purposely go and get dirty again. He knows we are far from perfect but thanks to Him we are able to be better. His blood for our sins, Him for us, right there is something we need to remember.

If you are partaking of the communion cup, after you drink from it put in the empty cup a piece of paper with the sin written on it you may have been struggling with this week. As you do, watch the juice (representing the blood of Christ) soak up your sin as you ask for the forgiveness that comes with it removing the stain from your life to start anew.

The only thing that should be stained is the sin left at the cross. Our lives don’t have to be thanks to Jesus, do this in remembrance of Him who remembered you long before you were even born.

Copyright 2008 Karen J. Gillett at Pencil Marks and Recipes Publishing