Last Wednesday my church had a Thanksgiving dinner. We all gathered in the sanctuary around tables filled with food, conversation, and thankful testimonies and praise. As they were sharing one of the ladies in our church shared how she felt such a presence of love and union like she had never before felt. And as she said that, my heart began to swell with love. I just wanted to walk around and love on every single one of them. Now, I have 3 kids, and that wasn't quite possible to hit everyone of them, but God has been giving me opportunities to love and encourage my church family.
Ever since that event, my heart has been swollen with love, and a burning fire of passion for these people. I have been praying Philippians 2:2 over my family at home and church. "Make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose". This verse is coming to fruition in this church body! If we are united in mind, love, spirit, and purpose, God will be able to use us to touch and reach the world. Weather collectively or individually.
This takes me back to the picture of the tree I painted a few weeks ago. If our roots, abiding in Christ's love, wrap around the "Church" and hold us together, binding us in the unity of Philippians 2:2 then we are whole, able to love and support a growing fruitful tree that will abound in fruitfulness and love. This is what God has planned for his church. To be the life-giving service for His people. To help us stand firm in trouble, to encourage us in need, to rejoice in goodness.
Now, this also goes beyond Crosswalk. I have friends in other church bodies that I feel united with. This is a "body of Christ", not just the "body of Crosswalk". God is uniting His people to do His work. Lets not overlook this, lets run with this. Jesus, bring us back to your feet, to your alter, to your heart.
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