Take and Eat
“The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.”
1 Corinthians 11:23-24 (NIV)
Club31Women is honored to showcase the winning pieces from the COMPEL Writers Training competition, featuring heartfelt devotionals written by emerging Christian writers. COMPEL equips women with the tools and confidence to write words that matter. These devotionals are a beautiful reflection of that mission.
Take and Eat
My baby started to fuss right as communion was served on the first weekend of the month, the week before Mother’s Day. Other moms know the slightly panicked feeling—everybody’s quiet, I’m in the middle of the row—should I stay and nurse in the pew or try to make my exit? I had just gotten back from changing her diaper in time for the key change that signaled we were all going to sit down again. Ultimately, I decided to take communion with the congregation. So I sat down, threw a blanket over us, and latched her on.
My tired brain was trying to handle the logistics of balancing the communion cup in one hand and a nursing baby in the other in this seemingly awkward moment. But then the pastor, like he always does on first Sundays, read aloud 1 Corinthians 11:23 and surrounding verses.
Being Broken
Take, eat. The verses hit me differently this time (thanks, Holy Spirit!). Jesus broke the bread to symbolize His broken body on the cross, when He would became a sacrifice for His children. Pain, though not God’s original design at all, was worked out for our good in the big picture of God’s rescue plan through Jesus.
My own body had been broken in birth just weeks before, after growing my baby had changed it in many ways. Any way you accomplish it, birth literally breaks you. But even in this pain, I have the opportunity to represent Jesus to my children: “This is my body, which is for you.”
Jesus’ sacrifice was for me, and I can come to Him each day with my needs, wants, concerns, and pain just as my children come to me nonstop for their daily needs.
In Remembrance of Me
During that communion time at church, through the aches and pains of both spiritual and physical brokenness, I tried to meet my child’s need: “take, eat.” The whole situation, a mixture of hormones and His holy Word, overwhelmed me with emotion.
We often hear these verses from 1 Corinthians during communion, but do we think about how God has built this remembrance into us for the everyday moments as well? I hope these thoughts will encourage my fellow Christian mothers as you represent Jesus to your family this week. No matter how good or bad you feel about your parenting abilities, you have represented Him since before your child was born.
In His Word
Read 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 as if you are about to take communion. Pray that everything you do today would be in remembrance of Him.
In Your Life
In what ways do you go to Jesus each day for what you need? How can you do this today instead of relying on your own strength? How can you encourage your children or others to do the same?
We Recommend
Interested in reading more about Christian motherhood? We’ve got seven verses for encouragement here and how to think of motherhood as your mission here.
Let’s Connect
Henrietta DuCap has been published in a variety of literary journals including Keys for Kids and Ekstasis. Her first novel for young readers was published last year. When she’s not writing, Henrietta enjoys working in children’s ministry and exploring Michigan’s outdoors with her family. Connect with her online at HenriettaDuCap.com or on social media on Facebook and Instagram.