Given For You

One day some mothers brought their babies to him to touch and bless. But the disciples told them to go away.

Then Jesus called the children over to him and said to the disciples, "Let the little children come to me! Never send them away! For the Kingdom of God belongs to men who have hearts as trusting as these little children's. And anyone who doesn't have their kind of faith will never get within the Kingdom's gates." Luke 18: 15-17 (TLB)

Pete Velander lives in Tennessee. It was an exciting Sunday for his daughter Petra. She would be receiving Communion for the first time at their new church.

Petra was excited. Finally their turn came to receive the elements. When Petra stood in front of the pastor, he instinctively placed his hand on her head and offered the children's blessing, forgetting that she was supposed to receive Communion that Sunday. As she turned to walk back to their pew Pete could see the crestfallen look on Petra's face, "It's okay," Pete said, "he just forgot." "I know, Dad. It's fine." But Pete could see that it wasn't.

But then, as the pastor was covering the Communion elements, he took one wafer and one small cup and began walking down the aisle toward the back of the church. He made his way to the middle of the row where Petra was sitting and spoke the words, "The Body of Christ broken for you, the Blood of Christ shed for you." That experience remains for Pete a powerful and tender reminder that Jesus comes to each of us. We are not forgotten.

Prayer: Inviting God, we are grateful that you come to each of us with signs that we belong to you, in Jesus' name. Amen.