1 Corinthians 10:16–17 Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.

On September 29^th Cheryl and I had lunch and a nice visit with my mom. As part of our conversation that day, I mentioned that Cheryl would be flying out of Dallas on October 19 for a meeting in St. Louis. I said that we would like to come down that morning and take her to worship services. She said that would be nice.

As I have already told you in these devotions, a week after that lunch date we said “Auf Wiedersehen” to mom, knowing we would not see her again until we join her in heaven thanks to what Jesus did for us all through His life and death and resurrection.

This past Sunday was the day we had planned to take her to worship. As I knelt at the communion rail, tears filled my eyes. Yeah, I missed her, but the tears were also there because I knew that as I communed with those physically present and with Jesus that day, I was communing and united with all the body of Christ. I was united with the Holy Christian Church, the Communion of saints, all true believers in Christ, the Church Militant, those still here on earth, and the Church Triumphant, those already with Jesus in heaven. That means I was united in that holy meal with the company of heaven, including mom and dad and my father-in-law and the entire white-robed throng gathered around the throne.

Revelation 7:9–10, 13-17 After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. ¹⁰ And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” … Then one of the elders asked me, “These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?” I answered, “Sir, you know.” And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore, “they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them. Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”