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Our Need for a Church Community
Devotional and Discussion Thought of the Day:
3 How excellent are the LORD’S faithful people! My greatest pleasure is to be with them. Psalm 16:3 (TEV)
9 Love must be completely sincere. Hate what is evil, hold on to what is good. 10 Love one another warmly as Christians, and be eager to show respect for one another. 11 Work hard and do not be lazy. Serve the Lord with a heart full of devotion. 12 Let your hope keep you joyful, be patient in your troubles, and pray at all times. 13 Share your belongings with your needy fellow Christians, and open your homes to strangers. 14 Ask God to bless those who persecute you—yes, ask him to bless, not to curse. 15 Be happy with those who are happy, weep with those who weep. 16 Have the same concern for everyone. Do not be proud, but accept humble duties. Do not think of yourselves as wise. Romans 12:9-16 (TEV)
465 I think it is all right for you to feel concern for your brothers—there is no better proof of your mutual love. Take care, however, to keep your worries from degenerating into anxiety. (1)
For those of us who regularly gather with other believers, it is something we wouldn’t consider giving up for other things. Yet I don’t know if we can explain this well to others. The words from Solomon above tell me that those I gather aren’t the first to feel this way. Even Solomon looked forward to gather with others who also tried to walk with God.
But it takes time to get to this point. It takes effort to look past the fact that we are all sinners and to be comfortable knowing that we can gather with each other. Being honest with each other comes slowly, but it comes, and then we being to see people react like the second quote above. We become like that.
We will, I have seen it.
Even in the most broken of congregations, there are those who will take time to listen and to pray. Often there are people that sacrifice their time and talent, and yes sometimes help out financially. Let me give you an example. We had a visitor one year to our midweek services. She worked somewhere else, and couldn’t have communion regularly. So the congregation agreed that from that point on – Wednesday services will have communion. A simple decision, yet a decision which made our visitor feel quite at home. I don’t think it is a coincidence that those services, during Lent and Advent, have quadrupled in size over the last few years. I could tell other stories, of people underwriting tuition for children, of people bringing others meals, or caring for their lawn.
But to see all of these incredible acts of love one has to be involved. One has to hear the stories, to cry and weep with those around them. They have to let others cry and weep with them. One has to learn to love deeply, and allow yourself to be loved deeply.
The reason to go to church isn’t the love of your neighbor though that is one of the blessings that comes with it. The reason we come together is to see God’s love to you revealed! We are gathered together as He works in our lives, from bringing healing of your heart and soul, to bringing comfort, to sustaining us. We realize this as we find great joy when a baby, or a 90-year-old, is baptised, reminding you of the very promises given to you.
It is an amazing thing to see those promises poured out on the lives of others, to share in it, to be comforted by it. To realize that a church is more than listening to some music and a message. But that the message and the music, because of God’s love, and by the work of the Holy Spirit, impacts lives. It does this as we explore the height, depth, width and breadth of God’s love for us, His family, together.
Come join us, spend some time together with us, and experience the love of God, poured out on a community.
(1) Escriva, Josemaria (2010-11-02). The Way (Kindle Locations 1134-1135). Scepter Publishers. Kindle Edition.
Harmony in the Body of Christ…is journeying together…
Devotional:discussion thought of the Day…
28 And not to mention other things, every day I am under the pressure of my concern for all the churches. 29 When someone is weak, then I feel weak too; when someone is led into sin, I am filled with distress. 2 Corinthians 11:28-29 (TEV)
15 Rejoice with others when they rejoice, and be sad with those in sorrow. Romans 12:15 (NJB)
One of the biggest challenges I see in the church today, is our apathy towards interdependence. Whether it be within a congregation, or within a brotherhood of churches, we don’t function as one organism much any more, save in the political sphere. In my blog today, I want to address this – at the brotherhood/synod/denominational level.
I’ve heard little churches blast big churches, often for stealing their sheep, or doing things that seem condescending. I hear big churches complain about the return of investment that little churches have – and the only way some will offer help is if the little church turns the deed of their facility over to the big church. The idea of area churches meeting for a time of fellowship is almost unheard of now in our area, because we tend to be a bit paranoid. I will confess this as well, as I’ve the smiles I’ve seen when a pastor tells me about how some of my people are fitting into “his” church, I interpret as a smirk, or a subtle jab.
But if it is true that the way to revitalize a congregation is to actually bring the people together, and show them what they have in common – their needs, their brokenness, and Christ healing them, bringing them together, then this should be the way we get together as well. Not to iron out the differences, not to see who is willing to compromise or not, but rather, before the throne of God, the place where there is no division – we are all equally sinful, all equally needed, all equally blessed. W e won’t find unity just in a honest discussion of differences…
I love that Paul was willing to voice his concern – his care – his anxiety even, over those churches he knew. His comprehension of the interdependence, the sympathetic bind that caused what happens to one to affect all is incredible. The words sympathetic- not just as a …. emotional heart tug – but a simultaneous reaction to the pain, the sorrow, the grief over sin, the joy over new life. Like a body when the toe is stubbed, or we are bruised – the entire body reacts – so should it be with us. When we are praying with another, when we are at their side, or their at ours, as we beg Jesus for His mercy, His intercession – that is where harmony begins, that is where peace allows us to heal in ways our logic and strength cannot.
And as we are healing, as we are helping each other, praying with each other – then growth occurs, our defenses drop, our unity in Christ becomes manifest….
For we dwell in His peace…together.
