What is it about the communion table?

On the second Sunday of the month at one of my churches we have an evening Communion service. Now, to be truthful, my tradition is that Communion is important but really hasn't dominated our life. My background is that this is a remembrance service and that the 'real presence' of Jesus is no more here than at any other service. As time has gone on, I genuinely believe that God is everywhere and in everything I am involved with, so I have not looked to find Jesus in the bread and wine any more than in an all-age worship service.

However, these evenings at church have found about ten of us sitting around the communion table in a very intimate setting and I have wanted to engage with Jesus here more than usual. In fact I have been looking for the presence of God. Last Sunday we sat around in a horse shoe shape and we lit three candles to remind us that the trinity is here and I felt it was right to be honest with everyone there. As I made myself vulnerable by saying a few things about myself, it felt like I was making myself vulnerable to God at the same time. I openly said that I wanted more of God and that there is a yearning in my spiritual life because I was pursuing God. The phrase that lives with me day by day is, 'there must be more to life than this Lord'. I am looking for the real presence of God.

And so I said that having had a car accident about five weeks ago my back was injured and I was in considerable discomfort. I couldn't stand for long, sit for long or drive for long. Sleeping was in three hour spurts before I was woken up by the pain and had to stretch my back. I was tired.

I sat in the centre of the horse shoe and people prayed for me and for others who were in pain - whether physical or emotional.

It has been six nights since then and I have had the slept really well. Better in fact than before the accident. I wouldn't say that I am healed completely, but I had nine hours sleep last night - previously unheard of.

What is it about the communion table that can make such a difference? Is God more present here than at other times or is it that we give him more attention and are more focused? My view at the moment is the latter. If that's the case, then there really is no limit to what we can expect.