Little Stories (About A Lot Of People)
It was just one of those days for this brother. He wasnt feeling very well, but hated to say No when he was asked to serve at the Lords Table. And when it was suggested that he read a passage of scripture before the service, he consented.
Reading aloud was not his best side, but he selected an appropriate passage, and when the time came, did very well — by concentrating carefully on each word, and avoiding the direct gaze of the people before him. He finished, closed the book and put it away; and the silence of the lapse of time proved embarrassing. When he turned back to the table he felt an urge to do or say something — resume activity — and his attention focused upon the most obvious thing before him — the communion service. So, he began to pass the plates of unleaven bread to the men who would serve the assembly, and failed to offer thanks for the bread. It was a real BLUNDER.
Among those present for worship were two men of widely varying dispositions. One had listened critically to the reading, noting the quaver in the readers voice, and filing a mental note regarding this, for possible use in later confrontations. And when the brother failed to give thanks for the bread — WOW!! The mental office came alive! Other notes were pushed aside, and this tasty morsel was typed in CAPS. with gleeful anticipation of the use that could be made of THE BLUNDER.
The second man in our study was thinking of the scriptures read, of the sacrifice that Christ made for poor sinners like himself; and when the reading was finished he bowed his head in expectation of the prayer of thanks. His mind did not wait for the public prayer — that never came — but he began to pray privately. He thanked God for the bread, the symbol of Christs body. broken for his sin. bruised for his iniquity. I am the one to whom the strokes were due, he thought; but He bore my penalty.
And when the deacon presented the bread for his partaking. he partook; and never even knew about THE BLUNDER.