I read through this psalm. Then I read it again. And again. And as I was scrolling to the top of the page, I landed for a moment on verse twelve. The psalmist asks "What shall I return to the Lord?" For those who have perused the psalm, you may know that the psalm celebrates God's compassion and salvation from death. I have the same question sometimes- what do I give back to God as thanksgiving for what God has done?
The response took me to a different place. The psalmist says that he or she will raise the cup of salvation. I have no idea what that meant in the Old Testament. However, I do remember attending chapel (every once in a while) in seminary and being offered communion. Normally, in a communion service, I hear/say "This is the body of Christ, given/broken for you," and "This is the blood of Christ, shed for you." However, during this particular service, the chapel leader said "This is the blood of Christ, the cup of salvation." That memory is triggered in me as I read this psalm.
What if communion, which our church will celebrate next week Sunday, is about more than getting a dose of grace and the presence of Jesus? What if raising the cup of salvation and each taking our share of it is a symbol of our thanksgiving?
My hope is that while we take communion next Sunday, we remember all the things which God has done for us. May God be with you today.
No comments:
Post a Comment