When Lori handed her the bread, she sat so seriously; when Gord passed her the juice, she carefully balanced the baby doll in her arms.
On the way to church this morning, I mentioned that today was communion. LillyAnn, my daughter, called from the backseat, "Mom, can I take communion today? I am five now, which I think is old enough." I replied that it's not about being old enough; it's about having table manners: "Do you know what you believe, LillyAnn?"
After a moment of thought, she said: "I know I believe in the crucifixion. And that Jesus rose from the dead." And she added, "Oh, and I believe in God the Father."
I couldn't believe that she even knew the word crucifixion, so I said, "That's a good start!''
So after consulting with Jeff (my husband and our pastor), I gave the approval for her to have communion today.
At each transition in the service she asked if it was time for communion yet. When I finally said it was time, she sat up straight in her chair with more focus than she normally seems to give the service. As her dad began to recite the liturgy, I leaned down and asked her, "LillyAnn, did you do anything to earn communion today?" And she replied with a "Duh, Mom" confidence: "Mom, I'm not perfect!" I hugged her close and said, "That's right. Jesus feeds you communion today even though you don't deserve it, but simply because he loves you."
When Lori handed her the bread, she sat so seriously; when Gord passed her the juice, she carefully balanced the baby doll in her arms.
Moments before we were to eat and drink, she looked up to me, "Will it give me a belly ache, Mom?" I assured her it wouldn't hurt, but I asked for clarification about why she thought a little bite of bread and a little sip of juice would hurt.
"I don't know. I thought maybe my tummy was too small for it," she shrugged.
And I understood then that she knew it was just bread and juice, but it was also mysterious, something she didn't totally understand, something that was a big deal.
Then she joyfully ate and drank with the church that had affirmed to her at her baptism: "God graciously includes our children in his covenant, and all his promises are for them as well as us". And I heard her whisper: "Wow!"
I know her faith journey will continue through ups and downs, but I rest in the promise that she belongs to her faithful Savior. Wow!