Grace Community Christian Church

 

Archived Things Above

Communion Cup Floaties (5/1/94)

So what do you do with communion cup floaties? Recently, I've asked quite a few people that question.

I guess if I hadn't held my juice and bread like I normally do, I never would have noticed. Although our congregation's practice is to "partake as you are served", I still like to take my time and spend a few moments in prayer and reflection, often gazing at the emblems, and just letting God speak to me. I think I may have heard from Him this past week, but not in a way I ever would have expected!

The single hair perfectly spanned the diameter of the cup. No more, no less. Almost as if it had been designer cut. It probably would have gone undetected altogether if it hadn't been for the way the light sparkled off it. I must confess that, upon opening my eyes, Calvary temporarily took a back seat. Should I discreetly attempt to pluck it out? (Where would I wipe my dripping fingers? Could I lick them without drawing too much attention?) Perhaps I could nonchalantly set the cup down, and then slip down a cupful afterwards?

The friends I queried later had varying opinions. "You should have held the hair with your finger, and drunk it like this," suggested one, as he contorted his arm over his head to get the angle right. Quite a few others recommended the soggy finger routine. Only one suggested just downing it and trusting God. Which is what I did.

Down it went, without a hitch. Who knows where it came from? Who knows how many germs were on it? Who knows when it was washed last? Gazing at that hair, it struck me that those things really don't matter. "If the blood of Christ can remove my sins," I thought, " certainly it can handle a single bit of hair."

Something to think about next time you look into your communion cup. Or, maybe it's better just to close your eyes.


Jim Dewar --