And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.” Luke 22:19-20

There are two special traditions in Christianity that I love. Baptism and The Lord’s Supper. As far as I know they are the only two requests of Jesus that seem almost arbitrary. Jesus requests and commands are usually practical, ethical or moral. For instance- Jesus once asks “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?!” (Matthew 6:27).

But here we have a simple request with no real implications. So it seems! “Do this in remembrance of me”. Do you ever forget Jesus? Do you ever let Him down? Have you ever taken His spirit and His name to regrettable places?

I know I have and do. There are times when all I feel is that sting of what I could, or should have done. But I know that heaping on guilt for failure is not His style.

In the book called Exodus we are told of a people under slavery.  They are oppressed and beaten down.   They cannot pursue life or God. At the very beginning of this book it is written “The Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried out, and their cry went up to God. God heard their groaning and He remembered his covenant”. (Exodus 2:23-24)

After this God radically changes the Israelites world. He frees them. But they still struggle. They seem to continually forget God. Yet their entire history has been changed because of His action. Everything. And He asks them over and over to remember “who brought you out of Egypt??” Apparently to God, remembering is essential to living.

So if you call Jesus your Lord, or do not yet- Take Bread or crackers, and juice, or wine, or water and “do this in remembrance” of Him.

May you remember He will hear your groans and your cries, and lead you out of Egypt. May you remember He will never forget you. May you remembering Jesus gives you life.

Rich