“The fullness. The fullness of You. The completion in all You have to offer. That is my desire. Life, so much more than what I give and take from it. Teach me the reality of You in my life…to the fullness.”
This is the story, the gift, of how the process of knowing His fullness has been coming alive to me in the past few days.
My intern, Susan, and I went to the Maasai Mara for a few days before she leaves to return to America. L It is one of my most favorite places on earth. The vastness and greatness of God and His creation is all around. There is no escaping the fact the He is there! While at the camp, we were in the gift shop and I saw something. Something much like what I see at every tourist shop, outdoor market, gift shop. Wood carvings. I saw a wood carved wine glass that instantly looked like a communion cup. I told Susan, “I want a communion set.” I have for years, but have just never bought. I wanted to have meaning, not just randomly buying it. So, I didn’t buy it and did not think any more of it.
Until I read on. I read about the eucharist (the communion elements) in a whole new way. Or maybe I have heard it before, but this day, it was fresh. Newly alive. And right in the middle of Easter week. In those thoughts of “One Thousand Things to Do Before You Die,” what is it that Jesus does? In His last hours, what does He most want to share with those He dearly loved? The Lord’s Supper. Sharing of His life.
“And he took the bread, gave thanks, and broke it, and gave it to them.” (Luke 22:19)
THAT is what He gave them as His “parting gift,” if you will. Those last words to leave them with. That last symbol to remember Him by. And we call it the eucharist. (The word eucharist brings back childhood memories from my acolyte days at St. Paul Methodist and sweet Mrs. Hulme.)
Eucharist = “he gave thanks”
“The root word of eucharisteo is charis, meaning ‘grace.’ Jesus took the bread, saw it as grace and gave thanks. He took the bread and knew it to be gift and gave thanks….Eucharisteo, thanksgiving, envelopes the Greek word for grace, charis. But is also hold its derivative, the Greek word chara, meaning ‘joy”…
“Charis. Grace.
Eucharisteo. Thanksgiving.
Chara. Joy”
“Deep chara joy is found only at the table of the euCHARisteo – the table of thanksgiving.”
~ Ann Voskamp, One Thousand Gifts
At the table of our Lord. His parting gift. The thing He saw as the utmost of importance with which to leave us. Himself.
Isn’t that it? The fullness that I was writing about just days before? Christ Himself. It is a gift of grace. Given with thanks. Bringing true joy.
Suddenly, my brown wooden carved animal cup and plate become so much more to me. A reminder of the fullness of joy that He has to offer.
And I am thankful.
For all things.
In all moments.
And I am thankful.
For all things.
In all moments.
“And he took the bread, gave thanks, and broke it,
and gave it to them…”
(Luke 22:19)
Freely.
On this Maundy Thursday, as we are reminded of the Last Supper and prepare for Easter, may you be blessed in the fullness of His gift to us. Himself.
6. A lone acacia tree in a sea of gold grass.
7. Boys laughing and chattering in Kiswahili outside my window.
8. Teenage boys & tiny aunties with heaping bowls of rice & green grams.
9. Making flashlight shadows outside with the boys during a power outage.
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