So Thankful for Community

Last night I had music / worship practice time at the Church.  It has been a busy time and one part of me felt that I should not be doing this, that I should have worked harder to find someone else to fill in.  But another part of me felt drawn to spend time with some of my friends, my brothers and sisters, in worship.  I am so glad that I was there.  The Lord used that time as a great encouragement to me.  Sure practice happened but more importantly worship took place, prayer was shared and experienced, and community was shared.  

Times of solitude are important for getting our focus right and some other things.   But too often the great gift of community that God has given us is overlooked or treated as a secondary thing.  I believe that God has called us to live, grow, worship, pray, teach, preach, work, share, make a difference ... all of this primarily in community.  Sure we all need to be growing in our personal walk with God, but if we are not walking that road together with out brothers and sisters then we will be weak, we will be less effective, we will be dis-obedient because as we look at the Bible, it is full of references to the Church and plural designations for how we are to live and serve God together.  

The Mystery of our faith is that when we acknowledge that God is there and that He is Holy, Just and Loving, and then we acknowledge that we are not, that we are sinful and have no way on our own to achieve a relationship with God.  The we are to accept Jesus and His finished work on the Cross, which paid the price for our sin and gives us a new relationship with God for all eternity.  We do this as we repent with humility because of our sinfulness and joyfully we pray accepting forgiveness and freedom that Jesus offers us.  At this point He (Jesus) by the power of the Holy Spirit takes up residence in us.  This is the great mystery.  But the effect or result of that mystery is we become a Holy community through Jesus.  We are joined together in unity by our Lord, we are His family, we are His Body.

I am so very thankful for the community that God has place me in.  His family, His Body, is so full of support and encouragement that it overwhelms me.  Lord thank you so very much for Your great sacrifice that has made it all possible.  Jesus you are amazing.

Preacherman