Peter was not adverse to repetition (II Pet. 1:12,13; 3:1). Given such, we are hopefully in good company here.
In recently conversing with an individual, question arose concerning the Lord's Table (Communion or, for some, Eucharist). It need little be noted that one can soon engage a plethora of questions here - questions regarding which valid believers may at times share somewhat divergent points of view.
It is not our intent here to argue such. Even were we to prove our point of view - at least to our own satisfaction - the fact remains that an argumentative spirit accomplishes little. We would, however (hence our reference to the apostle), repeat our posted thoughts of approximately a year ago.
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There are times in the life of faith wherein one is made conscious of the spiritually valid and real. One such occasion took place during a Communion observance in our first pastorate. Upon its conclusion, a member arose and asked to speak.
He had, he related, been suffering for several days with a back condition. In fact, the pain had become such that he had found it difficult to sit through the morning service. Upon receiving Communion, however, he had apparently received a healing with the result that the condition had been entirely alleviated. I had heard of such happenings in association with the Lord's Table, but had never seen it happen - nor, for that matter, have I seen it since. But it drove home a point.
According to Paul, the Corinthian's abuse of the Lord's Table had left them vulnerable to judgment in the form of physical illness and even death (I Cor. 11:26-30). It was not his intent to imply that all sickness represents divine retribution - indeed, as recorded in his Galatian epistle, he himself apparently suffered an affliction of the eyes. It was it his intent, however, to emphasize that concerns of such nature are not to be taken lightly.
To myself, the foregoing experience drove home the point that an observance wherein God's presence can be so demonstrated as to induce either sickness or healing is meant to be understood in terms of an encounter with the divine. Communion has not been the same since.
Burl Ratzsch
