Today’s Scripture Reading (August 4, 2017): Isaiah
61
I spend a lot of time thinking
about community. Part of the reason is that community is so integral to the
Bible, but sometimes so foreign to us. Community
can take many forms, and I think all of them are valid. But in the end, community also needs to have a purpose. It
isn’t about cliques – but real community
is something that tears down the barriers that we seem to put up all around us.
I have been privileged to have
spent some time with people that believed in what Isaiah says here – that the
Spirit of the Lord is on me (or maybe us – the community) for a particular purpose. We will preach the good
news to the poor. We will minister to those that are broken, those that are captive – because, in reality, they
were (and are) us.
As a church, I think that is part of the problem. Somehow as we minister
we forget who we were before Christ. Someone preached the gospel to us when we
needed it (not when we deserved it.) Who we are today is a product of God
loving and our growth in him. If you claim Christ as your Savior – then he has
changed you. You can’t stay the same. But somehow we must remember from where it
was that we have come.
I believe that it is the
presence of the Spirit in community that
gives us our purpose. We are a people on
a mission. That mission is to advance the kingdom of God through prayer, the
purposeful sharing of the Gospel of Christ, and a prodigal (wasteful) love for
those around us. It was the gift that was given to me when I needed it, and I
can do no less than to share it – but I can’t do it unless I can say with
Isaiah – the Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me – and on us.
And so the community continues
to grow. Will you join me!
Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Isaiah 62
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