Communion Prayer and Preparing Your Heart to Partake in Communion

Taking part in the Body and Blood of Christ by partaking in communion is one way to show our love for God. Not just by drinking the wine that represents Jesus’ blood and eating the bread, which symbolizes His body, but by the communion prayer we say as we partake.

Before I share with you a few suggestions for communion prayer at home or church, I’d like to share with you the reasons behind communion, including what it means, the symbolism behind it, and why it is such a critical thing to do in our Christian walk.

Holy Communion reminds us not only of Christ’s human suffering but also that he loves us. As Christians, we celebrate because his resurrection led us into eternal life with Him.

In this article, we’ll explore the meaning behind Lord’s Supper and how it can be a time to remember Jesus. I’ll also share several heartfelt prayers that you can say during Holy Communion and have the opportunity for spiritual growth in your life.

The Last Supper

In Matthew 26:17-30, Jesus sent two of His disciples ahead and gave them particular instructions about preparing the Passover meal.

Communion Prayer and Preparing Your Heart to Partake in Communion

Communion Prayer and Preparing Your Heart to Partake in CommunionPlay Video

Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Where will you have us prepare for you to eat the Passover?” He said, “Go into the city to a certain man and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, My time is at hand. I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.’” And the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover.

When it was evening, he reclined at table with the twelve And as they were eating, he said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” And they were very sorrowful and began to say to him one after another, “Is it I, Lord?” He answered, “He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me will betray me. The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.” Judas, who would betray him, answered, “Is it I, Rabbi?” He said to him, “You have said so.”

Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.”  And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

MATTHEW 26:17-30 (ESV)

That evening, Jesus sat down to eat with his disciples. As they ate, he told them that one of them would eventually betray Him.

Each of them asked, One by one, they asked, “Is it I, Lord?” 

Jesus told them that although it was His destiny to die, His betrayer’s fate would be worse. 

“The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.”

MATTHEW 26:24 (ESV)

Then Jesus said, 

“Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “‘Take, eat; this is my body.’”

MATTHEW 26:26 (ESV) 

Then, as Jesus took the cup of wine and shared it with His disciples. He said: 

And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

MATTHEW 26:27-29 (ESV)

Then, they sang a hymn together and went to the Mount of Olives.

Jesus shared the Last Supper with His disciples, a time-honored tradition that continues to this day during Passover and more frequently in Christian churches.  Some partake weekly, some monthly, and others a special times during the year. We can also observe and take communion at home. 

Communion shouldn’t be considered an obligation but rather a celebration. The significance isn’t on the bread or wine but on what they represent: the body and blood of Christ. 

The act of celebrating Communion reminds us that Jesus gave Himself entirely so we could start anew and be cleansed from our sins.

Traditions in Christianity are essential, particularly taking communion and the accompanying communion prayer. When we eat the Lord’s Supper, let us never forget that it is Christ who provides all of our needs.

God wants to give us the best – a vibrant life physically and spiritually. He does this by giving us food, which provides energy for our bodies and spiritual growth so that we can continue to become a reflection of Him. 

Devotion comes from Jesus Who died for us, not the ritual of communion or even the communion prayer.

Remember that while communion is a significant ritual in our Christian faith, it doesn’t automatically make you a Christian. Heaven and salvation alone come from giving our lives and hearts to Jesus.

God has a unique plan for your life, and He wants us to understand the significance of communion. We’re called upon in holy Communion, not just as an act of ritual or tradition but because God wants us to commemorate what His Son did on the cross – which paid our debts completely so we could have eternal life with him!

Before We Pray a Communion Prayer

Jesus calls us to this sacred time, but before we participate in this meaningful occasion, take some reflective moments and spend them on self-examination.

What does that mean? Reflect on what Jesus did for you. How you are loving and serving others as He did. Consider your walk with Him and how you could grow closer to God.

Then consider how you should pray. 

Holy Communion is a time of remembrance where you can commune with God and share in His grace. In preparation for this meaningful time, whether at church or home, I’ve compiled some communion prayer thoughts and suggested conversations between you and God that may assist you as you mentally and spiritually prepare for this beautiful time of remembrance.

How To Prepare Your Heart for Communion and a Communion Prayer

I believe that before we take communion, we should spend a few moments preparing our hearts and thoughts for both communion and our communion prayer.

1. Reflection

Reflecting on the sacrifice of Christ before communion will help you remember what it means that He died for our sins.

The bread and wine are intended to be an eternal reminder of the price Jesus paid for our sins and redemption. 

We should all be humble before God and remember that if it weren’t Him who died on the cross, then there would still be no hope in our lives as He gives us hope.

“For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

1 CORINTHIANS 11:23-25 (ESV)

2. Repentance

It is important that we have a repentant heart before taking Communion.

Praying before you take communion helps to humble yourself, and give God an opportunity to reveal any sin in your heart. 

True contrition can only be felt when one comes before God in true repentance. When we ask for forgiveness, it’s not just an acknowledgment of wrongdoing but also a plea to God for His help in turning away from our sinfulness. 

Asking God for forgiveness of sins before honoring His sacrifice with bread, wine and communion prayer is putting your heart and mind in the right place with your life and walk with Him. 

 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

1 CORINTHIANS 11:28 (ESV)

3. Rejoicing

When we come together to take communion, it should be with gladness in our hearts.

As we remember what Christ did for us, it should not make us sad, but instead make our hearts glad and cause us to rejoice!

There are many reasons we can rejoice, no matter your life circumstances:

• You can rejoice because your sins are forgiven.
• You can rejoice because you are a child of God.
• You can rejoice because you are redeemed.
• You can rejoice because you have eternal life.

You can rejoice when taking communion because of the great sacrifice Jesus made for you. 

Don’t let communion just be a somber time; let it be a time of celebration because there are many reasons to celebrate because of Jesus’ sacrifice.

knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.

1 PETER 1:18-19 (ESV)

With that in mind, here are communion prayers you can say before taking communion, a communion prayer and after communion.  

A Communion Prayer Before Partaking

Lord,

With humble gratitude, I remember your selfless love in and. great sacrifice for my sins. 

When I remember your broken body and shed blood, it is not because of anything you did wrong but rather as a penalty for my sins.

Father, before I take this bread and drink your loving cup, please forgive any sin committed against you either willfully or in my ignorance.

The feeling of love from You is overwhelming and I don’t take this moment lightly, but recognize.recognize how precious and holy this moment is. 

Thank you for your sacrifice and for the atonement of my sins because of it. Thank you, Lord Jesus for the eternal life I have. All thism because you paid the great price for my redemption. For this, I rejoice.

In Jesus name,

Amen.

Holy Communion Prayer

We give thanks to you, our Father for that life was made known to us through JesusYour Son. By him all things were created and kept in existence by the same God who watches over this whole world.

You sent your son to become a man so that he could save us.

He died for us, raised Him up from the dead and now stands at your right hand. In Him we have been promised an everlasting resurrection of all those who believe.

O Lord Almighty, the eternal God, please gather your Church from the ends of the earth into your kingdom as grain was once scattered and now has become one loaf. 

We thank you for the precious blood of Jesus Christ, which was shed to atone our sins.. We ask You each day to give us grace so that we may live a holy life pleasing to You.

Forever and ever, Your glory is to be given to you through him. Amen

How Frequently Should We Take Communion?

“For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”

1 CORINTHIANS 11:26 (ESV)

While the Bible doesn’t provide a clearcut answer on how frequently you should take Communion, Each person has their own personal connection with God and that will dictate how often they choose to enter into His presence during communion.

The frequency at which church Communion takes place can vary from church to church because there is no specific commandment that tells us how often we are to partake in it.

What Should I Do after Communion Sunday?

God tells us the answer to this question in His Word.

“I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

EPHESIANS 4:1-3 (ESV)

What better way to honor Christ and remember His sacrifice than by partaking in holy Communion? Paul gives us this thorough explanation in Ephesians.https://suewomanofnoblecharactercom.podia.com/kneel-before-the-throne-exploring-ephesians-with-verse-mapping-and-bible-study/embed/card

Living a life that reflects your gratitude for what Jesus has done is walking worthy of the call you have received as Paul tells us.

The life of a humble, gentle person is one that bears with other people and stays loyal to the Unity in Christ.

When you remember what Jesus has done for you, what other way can there be to live?

A Daily Communion Prayer With or Without Partaking

As mentioned above, taking communion and your communion prayer is a wonderful time to remind yourself that we are nothing without God. 

When you are faced with the challenges and distractions of everyday life, coming to terms with what is most important can be difficult. However during this time as we receive Jesus in Communion it becomes clear that his love remains constant no matter how bad things may seem at moment – he will always love us and redeem us!

Let us carry in our hearts the sacrifice Jesus made for us every day, not just on Sundays.

Every day we should celebrate our Savior because the broken body and spilled blood are just as precious today.

Lord Jesus,

Jesus, help me focus on what matters most in life. Keep my heart pure and close to You as I live out this day with intentions only for your kingdom come!

Father, I am grateful for your mercy and kindness. You are so merciful even when I don’t deserve it. I am overwhelmed with gratitude for your merciful Son who gave up his life so that I might live.

Because of you, we can experience a new life free from sin and decay. Your love for us is more precious than any other gift could ever be!

Father, thank you for always being there when I need your guidance and support and for allowing me to talk freely, directly to You.

I pray that today, and every day of my life I will remember the greatest act of love humanity experienced- when Jesus gave himself up to die for me.

Thank you Lord Jesus.

Amen.https://www.youtube.com/embed/NzlK1k8o6Pw?feature=oembed

The Lord’s Supper is a time of communion with Jesus Christ. It’s a time to remember His sacrifice and to receive His body and blood. In preparation for this special time, it’s important that our hearts are clean and open. We should also spend some time in prayer, asking God to help us understand the depths of this sacrament. The prayers we say during communion can be a great help in keeping our focus on Jesus. Finally, let’s commit to taking communion often – as often as we can receive Him worthily. Do you have your own personal communion prayer? I’d love to hear it!

you may also enjoy one of these recommended resources for further study.

At the Lord’s Table: Communion Prayers for All Seasons by Douglas Skinner 

The Prayer of Loving Communion: The Prayer that makes God Real by W. E. Consiglio DMin