Community

Since arriving here in Savannah (almost 5 months ago), I have been praying for a new body of believers at the church I am attending.  I have most especially been praying that each member would experience on a regular basis a "sense" of community there.  I have observed for these last few months the people going in and out of the building, with very few lingering to talk with one another and enjoy the blessing of fellowship.  I realize that my point of view may be a bit skewed, since I am new, and much of the time feel as though I am on the "outside looking in," but none the less, I continue to pray this blessing over these people continuously; knowing that even if this is a misconception on my part, that God will honor and reveal and answer as He sees fit.

Yesterday, we began a new study in the Book of Acts.  The verse we looked at (Acts 1:8) was a verse I had memorized long ago and yet as I prayed it back to the Lord last night, He began to reveal something new to me that coin sides with the prayer for community I had already been praying.  He showed me that  the progression of being "His Witnesses in Jerusalem, all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth" begins with our church--this is, for each body of believers, their "Jerusalem" and when we have received and utilize the power of the Holy Spirit to build community and to witness to one another (building one another up, encouraging each other, praying for each other, etc) then the light of our witness of Him overflows to all Judea (further out on the ripple), then Samaria (further still), and to the ends of the earth.  The progression, like that of dropping a rock in the water, has a ripple effect.  The light of our testimony of Him becomes brighter and more powerful as we come into relationship with one another.  One flashlight can help an individual see his way, but a few hundred or thousand flashlights who have come together can illuminate and guide a city!

I am not an island!  I may live on one, but there are plenty of others who live here with me.  As I prayed last night, God showed me the lonely hearts in our small church body, mine included, and it broke my heart as He revealed that it too, breaks His.  Loneliness is not part of God's plan for us; His Church.  He, our loving, gracious Father, created the church to be relational--with one another, adding to our numbers, and with Him.  As I wept on my bed for the many "islands" in my church body, I cried out, too, for the power of the Holy Spirit to break the chains that bind us--that keep us from being transparent with each other and vulnerable, that hold us back from answering an alter call, stepping out of our comfort zones and joining a life group or simply walking up to someone and introducing ourselves.   The bondage of fear keeps us stuck where we are.  What a tactic of the enemy!  But "the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much".  So, I'm praying--how about you?