The Coolest Community . . . Forever!

What’s the coolest community you’ve ever been in . . . Your neighborhood . . . Your workplace . . . Your school . . . Your growth group?

For us as Christians, the greatest community possible is one that includes God. That’s right! Our almighty Father, the Creator of the entire universe, invites YOU and ME to be in community with HIM! How cool is that? In a world where increasingly many find community only on digital devices and gadgets, as believers we can skip right past the technology and go directly to the source of all that is or ever will be. God promises to be in community with each one of us.

For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.  Matthew 18:20 (NIV)

Did you ever notice that the word ‘unity’ is embedded in ‘community’? To be in unity we must have trust and love. That’s the endgame . . . creating unity with others and with God through following His invitation to spend time with Him. The challenging part as we commune with God is to de-clutter our minds, to be good listeners, intent on hearing that “still small voice”.

Here’s a Lenten challenge for you. Spend a minimum of four minutes a day in prayer with someone you love. Pray for each other. Pray for family members. Pray for friends, the church, the world, and then . . . listen. My wife and I have been doing this for some time. We believe this habit is deepening our relationships in the coolest community forever. (And yes, listening is the hardest part!)

Over the past 40 years I’ve been blessed to direct six church choirs. So many extraordinary moments made even more intense through God’s gift of music. Members of these choirs became close, like an extended family, oftentimes the ‘largest small group’ in the church. The root of the word “choir” in Hebrew comes from the ancient root that refers to community! It’s only natural for me to end this devotional with music. Please get together with one or more loved ones and listen to The Brilliance singing Breathe at the link below. Let their song be your prayer to conclude today’s devotional while you listen for what God is saying to you!   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7zQ6g-yy3M