Recently I began attending the Women's Sunday School class at my church. Because my husband and I are working so much during the main service with children, we decided to head in an hour early to get some fellowship and Scripture. It's become our new Sunday routine, and it is indeed enjoyable.
In class there became a continual theme - Unity. We were reading through the prayer of Jesus in John 17 and he speaks continually on being unified. So this is where a great deal of our discussions landed. How are we to be unified with God and other believers? How does this process happen? Is it truly possible on earth? Now, at this time I began reading another amazing book by Frank Viola, "Reimagining Church." And by the coincidental (sarcastic) movements of the Holy Spirit I happen to fall into a chapter about unity within the body. AH! It began to open my eyes more. I listened to the questions at Bible study group and continued to read and search and things all started to come together for me. The church is continually referred to as a family. I know, not very dramatic. Let's look at this concept of family. Raise your hand if your family has been influenced by a divorce. Raise your hand if your family has been affected by infidelity, abuse, abandonment. Raise your hand if your family ever had problems. Ok, put your hand back down so you can continue scrolling. The average family has learned about hurt and discord. If the church is to be a family, and we have been taught that family is inconsistent, hurtful, vengeful, broken, it's difficult to relate a unified church to family members. Even from the start of Jesus' ministry there is a point of family. The first 4 disciples he calls, are sets of brothers! I thought that was kind of cool. As I'm sorting through all this in my own life, I read in Matthew how he calls brothers first - Peter and Andrew. I am inclined to think, "Wow, Jesus wanted brothers. He wanted people that knew how families worked when he started his ministry on earth." Isn't it interesting? Of course, I then questioned, "But what about poor Zeb?!" The second pair of brothers is James and John. Jesus calls them and they leave Zebedee, their father, and the boat. Ok, so we are to be a family, but we leave our family to do that. I can get that. But it didn't help me with my unity as family train. What did Zebedee think when his kids just up and left? How did he feel? Do you think he followed as well later on? Was he mad? They were mending nets, after all. Just like his kids to just up and leave to follow someone. No biggie. Well, Zebedee causes my mind to wander, but it's clear to me that God wants us as family. I went to my first Wednesday night women's Bible study this week. I've never had the opportunity to before. I went in with my normal isolationist mindset. As time passed, I looked around the room and realized, this people like me. We've spent time together inside and outside of "church" activities. As far as I know, they aren't talking about me behind my back. But because of an incident with a church member years ago, I have had this thought that I was just a black sheep judged by the others. This lie was planted in my head and has stuck with me for 6 years. For 6 long years I have avoided gathering with fellow believers because I thought that they were judging me. I was kept from my family because of a lie. Sure, I would bet that some people still have their judgments of me, but that is their issue, not mine. I have cared so much more for the unity between me and God than with other believers because I figured it was all I needed. Now, I get to be with sisters. Since Wednesday night, multiple people in the group have spoken with me. It isn't just because I showed up. It's because they actually care about my well being. And crazy thing, I care about theirs as well. The unity we're looking for is family. Not the broken, earthly families that we have struggled with. Our spiritual family has more strength, love, grace, and peace that engages us in unity that we could ever imagine, if we are willing to dive in. Brothers, sisters, join with your family.
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May 2023
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