Home Communion: The Joy and Intimacy of Taking Extended Personal Time with the Lord's Supper

Several years ago, I attended a Bible study hosted by a lovely older woman in her home. In a corner of one room, I noticed a small table with elements for communion displayed. When I asked her about it, she was filled with joy as she explained that she receives communion daily at home. She shared how this was sparked by a book she had read called, "The Meal That Heals: Enjoying Intimate, Daily Communion with God" by Perry Stone. I purchased this book myself which was a catalyst for adding this special and precious regular spiritual practice into my life.

Incorporating home communion into my spiritual life has been such a joy and a journey. While this is not a daily practice for me, I usually partake at least once a week but sometimes several times per week. This has led me to develop a written, thorough prayer, which I pray out loud during my contemplative home communion. I continually revise this written prayer as the Lord gives me new revelations, which makes for such a lovely and intimate partnership with God.

Since this has been so meaningful for me, I wanted to share this prayer to encourage others in the spiritual practice of contemplative home communion.

And on a practical note, initially I purchased a special cup and dish for the juice and bread, which I really enjoyed. But now, I find pre-assembled communion cups work best for me. If that interests you, I personally shop here.

Blessings on your home communion journey!

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COMMUNION PRAYER Devoting extended time for intentional personal reflection, examination and confession before receiving the Lord’s Supper.

PRAISE THE LORD - Lord God and Father, Maker and Creator of Heaven and earth. I thank you for your Perfection! I praise you for your Holiness, your Beauty. Your Word says that you cannot be in the presence of sin of any kind. Sin must be banished from your presence.

NEED FOR A SAVIOR - Because of the sin of Adam, I was born with a sin nature covering me in a blemish, which separated me from you, Father God, and it sentenced me to death, your wrath and hell. In order to be reconciled to you, I must be redeemed from my sin nature and forgiven for my acts of sin. (Romans 5:12, 3:23) Your Word says that without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness (Hebrews 9:22). And that blood must be perfect blood, from an unblemished, sinless sacrifice. Only you God are and remain perfect, unblemished and sinless. I deserve to die for my sins; my sin-stained blood and sin-stained life cannot cleanse me and cannot save me (Romans 6:23). And you knew that. You knew that I could not meet your requirements to be reconciled with you. (Ephesians 2:8-9) So, you, my Triune God, came to earth in human form as the Son of God, Jesus Christ, and sacrificed yourself, your perfect life and shed your unblemished, sinless blood on my behalf so that I could have the opportunity to be reconciled to you, My One and Only God, through Jesus Christ. (1 Timothy 2:5, 1 Peter 1:19)

JESUS MADE A WAY - I praise you and thank you, Jesus, that your sinless life, your sacrificial death on the cross, your shed blood, your broken body and your resurrected life have made a way for me to become reconciled to God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit - and live in oneness and communion with you, my Savior and Messiah, but also to experience renewed reconciliation to Father God and refilling me with the Holy Spirit! So, I confess, once again, declare death to my sin-nature and confess my sins, and choose you as Lord of my life! I put my faith in you, Jesus Christ as the One and Only Son of God!

Jesus, you drank the cup of God’s wrath in my place. I humbly thank you.I thank you that this sacrificial act of yours enables me the freedom and opportunity to come before you and ask you to cleanse me from all my unrighteousness, to wash me clean from all and any sin-sickness of mind, soul, spirit and body.

CONFESSING SINS

VOLITION AND OMISSION - I now bring before you the sins of volition (things I have done) as well as the sins of omission (things I have not done). Your word says, "you desire truth in the inward parts". I know there is the perceived-self, the projected-self and the authentic-self. The authentic-self is the self that you see and is the version of self that will stand before the judgement seat of Christ after physical death. Come, Holy Spirit, and expose the sins, even the hidden sins in my heart, including the blind spots -- help me not be in denial of their existence or fear of their exposure so that I may become clean, repent, and turn away from them. I long for my perceived-self, projected-self and authentic-self become one – no more masks or falsehoods -- until my whole self becomes one pure refection of Christ. (I pause and wait before you, Lord)

THE MIND - I bring before you God, my mind - my conscious and subconscious thoughts. I confess my sins, seek repentance, and I ask you to forgive, cleanse and wash clean all things I have thought or not thought that have been sinful or have displeased you. (I pause and wait before you, Lord)

THE MOUTH - I bring before you God, my mouth - what I speak. I confess my sins, seek repentance, and I ask you to forgive, cleanse and wash clean all things I have spoken or not spoken that have been sinful or have displeased you. (I pause and wait before you, Lord) 

THE EYES - I bring before you God, my eyes – what I see and focus my visual attention upon, as well as the eyes of my soul – the lens through which I perceive everything; the vantage point of my world view. I confess my sins, seek repentance, and I ask you to forgive, cleanse and wash clean all things I have seen or not seen that have been sinful or have displeased you. (I pause and wait before you, Lord)

THE EARS - I bring before you God, my ears – what I hear with my physical ears and hear with my spiritual ears - my ability to hear and listen to you, God. I confess my sins, seek repentance and ask you to forgive, cleanse and wash clean all things I have heard or not heard that have been sinful or have displeased you. (I pause and wait before you, Lord)

THE HEART AND SOUL - I bring before you God, my heart and soul – my motives, beliefs, will and personhood. I confess my sins, seek repentance, and I ask you to forgive, cleanse and wash clean all things I have done or not done in and with my heart and soul that have been sinful or have displeased you. (I pause and wait before you, Lord)

THE HANDS - I bring before you God, my hands - what I create, accomplish and hold. I confess my sins, seek repentance, and I ask you to forgive, cleanse, and wash clean all things I have done or not done with my hands that have been sinful or have displeased you. (I pause and wait before you, Lord)

THE BODY - I bring before you God, my body – the outer flesh that houses my spirit. I confess my sins, seek repentance, and I ask you to forgive, cleanse and wash clean all things I have done or not done in and with my body that have been sinful or have displeased you. (I pause and wait before you, Lord)

FORGIVING OTHERS – God, I come before you seeking to forgive others. I am to forgive them as you, Lord, forgave me. I bring before you all my relationships – family, friends, church family, clients, client’s families, neighbors, acquaintances, strangers. I forgive them all – any sins, offences or shortcomings done to me – whether ignorantly or intentionally.

While I know that forgiving others fully sometimes is a process that takes years, I will continue and not give up until I am fully like you – free of offence and free to forgive. Therefore, I declare that by your blood, my heart, soul, mind and body are healed and cleansed of the offences; yet I know it is not necessary or helpful to also forget these past interactions. Instead, by the power of your blood, I declare the memory of them is healed of all wounds, and my heart towards them is cleansed of all offense. (I pause and wait before you, Lord) (Eph. 4:32, Colossians 3:13, Matthew 6:14-15, Luke 23:34, Luke 6:35-36)

EXPOSING POTENTIAL SINS – Your word says, “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness but rather expose them. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light.” Eph. 5: 8-11, 13

I confess, acknowledge, and desire to expose all sins which the sin nature of humanity is capable of or prone to. I do this because I do not want any seed of these sins to be planted, birthed, or take root in me – knowingly or unknowingly. Therefore, I confess, expose and renounce all pride, arrogance, idolatry, selfishness, self-centeredness, self-righteousness, self-delusion, self-deception, self-reliance, vanity, materialism, childishness, fear, anxiety, impurity, anger, rage, hatred, revenge, malice, murderous intent, wickedness, evil, perversion, bitterness, resentment, contempt, offense, unforgiveness, rebellion, disobedience, faithlessness, fruitlessness, prayerlessness, worldliness, carnality, lust, greed, over-indulgence, filthy language, laziness, envy, jealousy, compromise, the fear of man (people), hypocrisy, falsehood, lying, cheating, stealing, dishonesty, deception, causing discord, secretly celebrating wrong-doing, (and the like...). Lord, whichever of these sins I have committed (whether willfully or ignorantly) I thank you Lord, that I have now confessed and exposed them. They are no longer able to grow strong in the dark but now will become weak and die out in your light. (I pause and wait before you, Lord)

With your life alive in me, I choose to repent and ask you to forgive me. Empower me to hate my sin as much as you do, to walk in repentance and turn away from sin of any kind by and through your glorious name!

RECEIVING COMMUNION - Now I receive into my body, mind, soul and spirit the elements of your communion -- which cleanses, reconciles and sustains me in my oneness with you -- my communion with you God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

I come before you now to renew my vows to you.

I take the bread of your broken body, Jesus, and I eat it in faith. As I do this, I receive, accept and enjoy the washing, cleansing, and forgiveness of all my sins. I am now reconciled to you! (I pause to receive you, Lord)I take the cup of your shed blood, Jesus, and I drink it in faith. As I do this, I receive, accept and enjoy the washing, cleansing, and forgiveness of all my sins. I am now reconciled to you! (I pause to receive you, Lord)I also declare the additional infusing of all the miracles and mysteries that abide in the perfect sacrifice of your broken body, your shed blood, and your covenant promise to come into my whole being and existence in your Name.


CLEANSED AND FREE! - I thank you Lord, now that I have confessed my sins and received all your forgiveness, I stand on the promise that you have indeed washed me clean from all my unrighteousness. I now come close to you, humble, thankful, joyful, and free! I do this all in and through Jesus’ powerful name. Amen and Amen.

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