Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Proof That God Does Have a Sense of Humor

Communion and the word 'humor' just do not belong in the same sentence.  Right?  While partaking Communion is a celebration in a sense, it is one of somber, reverent reflection and gratitude for Christ's ultimate sacrifice.  It is quite beautiful and moving.  I am fortunate to belong to a body of believers that regularly offers a Communion Service.


Last month the Communion Service was flowing as it normally does.  My husband and I were walking back to our seats with the elements.  (In our church each person takes a small plastic cup).  As I am sitting and praying I realize my husband is fidgeting a bit.  Then he gets up and walks over and takes a tissue from a nearby Kleenex box.  In my mind I am thinking, "Wow.  He is really getting emotional over this."  Okay, so my thoughts were not that grammatically correct.  I actually thought, "Man, he is tore up."  (If you didn't already know I am from the south does that thought/comment clue you in a bit?)  Well, it turns out that his Communion cup had a hole it in, and the grape juice had been leaking out all over his hands, (and even the seat) while he was trying to pray!  He had needed the tissue to clean it up.  Afterward we laughed about it, shared it with our small group a few days later, and that was it.  A cute memory to store and retrieve later.  We had no idea how soon that would be!

Flash forward to our Communion Service this past Sunday.  Honestly, I had already forgotten about the incident from just several weeks earlier.  Once again the service seemed to be flowing just as we have come to expect and appreciate.  We made our way back to our seats with the elements, and I happened to glance over in my husband's direction.  And what do I see?  Grape juice - all over the place.  Seriously!!  It was on his hands and both legs of his pants!  I look at him, he looks at me, and we both share this wide eyed look that is screaming, "No, way!  This is not happening again!"  Then it started.  He began laughing (quietly, of course)...and then I started laughing (yes, still quietly).  It was that kind of laugh where you are shaking all over and trying everything within you to stop, but you just can't.  My mind was racing with all sorts of self commands and questions:

STOP laughing.

We can not laugh at a time like this!

What will people think?

Am I dreaming?

STOP laughing.

This is not funny (Okay, I was trying to convince myself it wasn't funny.)

How on earth could this have happened, AGAIN, to HIM?

Being the good wife that I am I knew I had to somehow gain my composure.  You know how it is in this kind of situation.  When two or more people are silently laughing uncontrollably, trying to prevent any sound from erupting, at least one person has to somehow find a way to immediately stop the ever growing cycle.  And I did.  I don't know how, but I did.  And I did not dare give in to any temptation to see if my husband was having the same success.  Then I prayed, "Lord, you obviously have a sense of humor because you allowed this to happen.  Thank you so much for your sacrifice.  Because of it we can enjoy your gifts of joy, happiness and well,...laughter.  I love you.  Amen."

Whew.  I made it.  I was relieved to have somehow gotten through the experience with some sense of spirituality in tact.  And you know...I honestly felt His sweet presence.  I think it is human nature to explain the unexplainable.  And I am not so foolish to think I can figure out the Almighty.  But, considering the fact that for the first time in my life I am truly learning that I can not earn His grace by my "good works," maybe He was trying to remind me that it was okay not to do something the "right way."

(We later found out this also happened to another church member this past week!  So, the church is going to toss out the faulty cups and order new ones.  But don't worry.  My husband kept his cup to show our small group this week.  They are not going to believe it!)

1 comment:

  1. I'm betting that the original Last Supper had some laughter in it, too. Even though it was so close to the Crucifixion, I can't imagine that Jesus and his closest pals were hanging so comfortably like that and didn't share some good times. So glad you found the laughter in the moment! I probably would have squirted the grape juice out of my nose.... ;)

    ReplyDelete