Community...

Recently, a friend posted on Google + about the importance of community.

I might have written about this in the past year on here, but it seems to 

have been the subject of the year for me, and so it is much on my mind.

Community is important. God created us to need it.

 In whatever state we find ourselves, 

community will be what it is. 

Maybe God is calling some of us to be the ones who work quietly 

behind the scenes encouraging community, reaching out to the lonely, 

practicing hospitality, etc with little regard to whether or not

 our needs are being met. 

God provides what we need in every season and place 

where He calls us. I strongly encourage community 

but not to decide/insist upon the exact way it will work out, 

except that you will be a servant as Jesus was in his community. 

Community can encourage the discouraged. 

It can whisper hope into defeat. 

It can cause courage to rise in the fainting heart 

and help a tempted one to overcome. 

Community can help me to remember whose I am 

and where I am going. 

It can comfort the broken in heart and help to heal the wounded one.

 It is also made up of those made of dust, 

and at best is sinking sand. 

Therefore, while appreciating community and contributing to it,

 let's stand on Christ, the solid Rock who told us that to be greatest, 

we are to be the servant of all. 

And above all, let us strive to make 

Jesus beautiful to 

the world.