May 13

A Psalm Of Communion

I will lift the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD. — Ps 116:13 BSB

Then He took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. — Matt 26:27-28 BSB

Every Christian disciple should regularly partake in the Lord’s Supper. It is a sacrament. In ancient Rome, young men were brought to the altar and sworn to serve their country until death. In the same way, our first Communion is an oath of allegiance to our King. It is a public proclamation of our faith, bearing witness to Christ’s death as the source of our forgiveness and salvation. We testify that His cross and resurrection stand between us and the world, and it is also a bond that unites Christians together.

Communion is also a pledge of the covenant. The death of Christ on the cross is God’s seal on the new covenant, the details of which are laid out in Hebrews 8:1-13. When we drink the wine, it is as though we are reminding God of His covenant. Let me encourage everyone, especially new believers, to draw near and partake of the bread and wine, meditating deeply and reverently on Christ’s supreme gift of salvation. It demands our self-giving in return. As the psalmist said, “What shall I render to the Lord? I will take the cup of salvation and pay my vows to the Lord” (Psalm 116:13-14).

The phrase, “I will take the cup of salvation,” is striking. When we ask what salvation it refers to, we read, “You have loosed my bonds” (Psalm 116:16), which brings to mind Revelation 1:5, “To Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood.” We are bound by our sins, held captive by sinful habits, but our Lord frees us through His cross.

Notice how triumphantly the psalmist declares his loyalty to his Master. Twice he repeats, “O Lord, truly I am Your servant.” Likewise, we are the bond-servants of Jesus. When asked what “the sacrifices of thanksgiving” are, we can answer: first, the sacrifice of ourselves (Romans 12:1); and second, the sacrifice of our praise and offerings (Hebrews 13:15-16). Let us give not grudgingly or thoughtlessly but with cheerful hearts. Considering all that we owe to God, let us never stop living, serving, praising, and giving.

Prayer

We pray that in everything we do, whether eating or drinking, we would do it in remembrance of Christ and reflect His life. May a spirit of worship fill every act of our daily lives. Amen.