My community is all around me.
I have been thinking about the meaning of community lately and have come to realize that I love the community in which, God has placed me at this point in my life. Actually, I can’t imagine being anywhere else at this point. When I first got married, I wrongfully held on to the community that I came from, my “home.” It wasn’t until about a year ago that I truly realized where God has me now is my home. I have a new home and being married, a new family. Matthew and I are a family. But we have other family too, a quite large one! God has given us a community to belong to. We have brothers and sisters through Christ.
I am so thankful for the place I am in right now. I am thankful that GENESIS places being in community with each other as a main priority. Being in community with each other transforms us all… if we let it.
Here is what the Bible has to say about community:
"Don't just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. (Romans 12:9-10)
"Don't look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too." (Philippians 2:4)
"You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. You are the light of the world-like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. (Matthew 5:13-16)
“Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up.” (Proverbs 12:25)
So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” (John 13:34-35)
God calls us to love one another like he loves us!
Being in a Community Group, I have felt fully loved. As I share burdens, praises and prayers with the ladies of my group, they open their hearts and show empathy. They encourage me, giving words of wisdom, sharing and praying for me. I believe this is how God binds us together. He tells us to take honor in each other and show genuine affection.
Some nights, I go to Community Group carrying a heavy heart because of daily struggles or hurts, but as I open up about it with my ladies, I actually go home with a weight lifted off of me. I leave feeling loved and lighter. I leave with a desire to love those ladies like they have loved me! This is God! This is the power of genuine love. This is the power of prayer.
I challenge you to go to a Community Group. When you go, become vulnerable. Be active. Open up. Show others where you are. If we practice this kind of love within our community, we will be able to start loving strangers. We will be so used to just loving and caring for others that it won’t matter if they are in our group or not. We will 'Be Light' on a hilltop.
