Last Sunday, I awoke and started getting ready for church. Dave and I had been assigned the responsibility of working in a church booth, as well as serving communion for the late service. Getting ready pretty much took the whole morning before we headed out the door. Soon, I was standing in front of the church and serving the congregation their communion.

After I returned home that day, I couldn't forget the verse found in 1 Cor. 11:29-30 that I've heard often: "For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks in an unworthy manner to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep."

I found myself wondering, if I should check my heart for sin before partaking of communion, shouldn't it be even more important to check my heart before serving communion?

I had prepared myself on the outside more than on the inside. By spending my time and effort in this way, I had put more emphasis on what I looked like before people than what I looked like before God.

Before I went to bed, I asked God to forgive me. Furthermore, I asked Him to never stop working on me, checking me, growing me, changing me, and alerting me to characteristics that are not yet like Him. None of us should ever live as though we've arrived. When we fail to hear His challenges to change, we stop growing.

I once heard a story about criticism that Michelangelo received while carving the David statue. His critic remarked about all the marble being wasted while the masterpiece was being perfected. But Michelangelo responded, "As the chips fall away, the image emerges."

As God chips away the things as He did on me last Sunday, He creates His masterpiece in you and me. Let's not see it as Him picking on us. Instead, let's hear Him and respond and see it as Him perfecting the plans He has for us.

I for one am thankful He loves us too much to have us stay the way we are.