Community life leaves you with a stark choice: give your all for the greater good or hide away.'Hiding' can take various forms. You can sink into problems, you can create little indulgences, you can pretend to be spiritual or you can become stubborn having come this far but no further. None of these compare to laying down your life.
Jesus spoke of laying down his life for his friends (John 15). Who are his friends? Those who love him and obey him. Friendship with God is more than just dutiful service, it is complete intimacy and obedience.
To sacrifice everything you are is to break into real friendship, not only, I believe, with Jesus, but with others who truly want to follow him too. We are called to love one another the same way Jesus loved - by laying down our lives - that is the nature of community.
In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.
Hebrews 12:4
We too easily forget that experiencing hardship is all part of becoming God's son.
You're sounding more and more like a church household leader. It's good.
ReplyDeleteIf you find me hiding, give me a boot.
ReplyDeletethis is where community beauty shines brightly
ReplyDeleteI am so good at hiding..... God I need you to expose my secret places so that I can walk in the freedom you gave me when you died and rose
As long as it's for the 'greater good' bro'. In Community it's tough enough - but to set that example in the world outside it - that's a rare quality.
ReplyDeleteWell written mate :)
We definitely want to put our neighbors above ourselves, Jesus requires this kind of love. Good post! God Bless.
ReplyDelete