Take and Eat

Take and eat, the gift of God,

Heed the Father’s gracious nod.

Take and eat, the gift of grace,

Jesus died there in our place.

Specially for you prepared

Now our blessed Lord is shared,

Calls us each by our own name.

Bears away our guilt and shame.

Take and eat, the gift of love,

He prepares a place above.

Grafted in, drink of the vine.

I am His and He is mine.

Take and eat, the Word made flesh,

Pure and holy, clean and fresh,

Tempted just as we have been,

Yet without a single sin.

Take and drink, the blood of Christ,

Freely shed and sacrificed.

Learn how deep the Father’s love.

Open hearts receive the Dove.

Take and eat, the gift of peace.

Bid the wind and waves to cease.

Take and eat, from wounded hands

Peace that no one understands.

Take and eat, the gift of strength,

Know height and depth, breadth and length.

Be transformed, renewed in mind.

By His grace bear fruit in kind.

Take and eat, the gift of life,

After death and over strife.

Take the gift of second birth,

Of new heaven and new earth.

Given by the great I AM,

Take and eat, the paschal Lamb,

Who was, and is, and is to come,

The First and Last, the final sum.

Now with blood and body fed,

“In, with, under” wine and bread,

To our work the Spirit leads,

Many thousands more He feeds.

Bear these gifts, go far and wide.

Be the bridegroom’s holy bride.

Call the greatest, call the least,

“Come and share the wedding feast.”

Take and eat, give thanks and praise.

He will guide us all our days.

Lord and Master, closest friend,

Him on whom our lives depend.

Take and eat, sing, pray, and read,

Tending to each other’s need.

Take and eat, with self denied,

All our needs are satisfied.

All one body, all one bread,

Living new, no longer dead,

Holy Spirit, blessed leaven,

Raise us to the feast of heaven.