I don't know about you but I have a set thing I do during communion. I know you can pray, read the bible, talk to the person next to you or just sit and wait while the bread and juice is passed. I wanted to share what I've been doing for a couple years now, and it encourages me EVERY time. I usually start out praying, making sure I am prepared to be remembering what my Holy God has done. I then spend the remainder of my time reading Isaiah 53. I never get through the whole thing, but have you ever SLOWLY read through that passage? I can say without a doubt that it is my favorite passage of scripture. Why don't you try it right now??

 

Who has believed our report? And whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?

For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; and when we see Him there is no beauty that we should desire Him.

He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.

Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God and afflicted.

But HE was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our inquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him. And by His stripes we are healed.

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

HE was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter; and as a sheep before its shearers is silent. So He opened not his mouth.

HE was taken from prison and from judgement. And who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgressions of My people He was stricken.

And they made His grave with the wicked - but with the rich at His death, because He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth.

Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; HE has put Him to grief. When you make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days. And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand.

He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous servant shall justify many, For HE shall bear their iniquities.

Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong. Because He poured out HIs soulder unto death. And HE was numbered with the transgressors, and he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

 

WOW, It hurts my heart to be reminded of what Christ had to do because of my sins... But also amazes me that this was written BEFORE it happened... Prophecy is starting to amaze me more and more. This bible is NOT an accident... it could not have been made up, and my God is alive and well!! :)