Whenever we celebrate the sacriment of Holy Communion, I host a private prayer between God and myself. During that time, I take the perfectly sliced chunk of wheat bread and smash it over and over. I say a similar but different prayer every time.
It goes something to the effect of:
“Lord, as I use my hands to strip from this simple bread the things that this world adds to it, I unleaven it. I pray that you work in my to strip from me the corruption of what this world add to my heart. Unleaven it and restore it according to your will.”
About that time, the bread is all passed and we partake together as a church body. Rarely has anyone asked why I do that. My wife and I am sure many others simply find me to be an odd fellow. Which might be true, but the reality is that I am much of this world. This is my once a month way of reminding myself of that fact and humbly asking God to restore what is necessary while purging what is not.
Do not be conformed to this world,but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. ~ Romans 12:2
I got to thinking about this tonight as I was reading through What’s In the Bible: A Tour of Scripture from the Dust of Creation to the Glory of Revelation
. Addressing the Passover bread, Sproul and Wolgemuth state:
This flat loaf, baked with no yeast represented the Hebrews’ leaving Egypt in a hurry, before the bread had time to rise. Yeast with its bacterial quality was also a symbol of corruption, so it could not be included in this holy meal” (p. 35).
If we truly are to be conquerors, this certainly is a simple reminder and practice in which we all can partake.