Contempt for Familiarity

Taken from the message somewhere in 1 Corinthians 11 – “You will be drawn back to this meal again and again until the master returns. You must never let familiarity breed contempt.”

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Guilty as charged. Paul is talking about taking communion here, and Eugene Peterson paraphrases it this way. I would say that more often than not I do something like this. I guess it comes down to what you call contempt. He goes on to describe it as taking communion in a meaningless way. When communion comes around at church, I wind up taking it several times, once at each service. Am I really expected to conjure up fresh insight for each taking? How can I keep familiarity from ruining my moment with JC.

It goes well beyond communion too. I know I have the same problem with reading the word too. I will be drawn back to that again and again. Familiarity often gets in the way. I have read what I am reading before and in many cases have had a revelation in the past with a particular verse. I am not saying that god can’t give me fresh revelation, but just that it doesn’t always happen.

Worship songs are another prime example. Just about everyone of them has a amazing message, that we should be able to bring to the Lord. Some of these songs we will bring again and again. Should “The Battle Belongs to the Lord” or “Lord I Lift your Name on High” still inspire us perfectly? Is it wrong that it doesn’t?

I have to believe that what the heart of this passage is all about is letting the message always move me, and never to get bogged down in the repetitiveness of the vehicle. The story of Gods redemptive plan and what that entitles me to should be the only thing on this earth that does not bore me. I should constantly be moved by that. But the vehicles that declare this truth or parts of it can come and go. Frankly I am glad we only do communion once in a while at hope. I have been to places where they do it every week, and it quickly loses its meaning. This makes it a lot easier for me.

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Lord help me to never let familiarity breed contempt. I even pray that old vehicles would still move me into a real experience with you. I want that no matter what. Use whatever means necessary to get a hold of me. Thanks for dying child. That will always move me.