In Search of the Church |
| Posted by Mike (mike) on Nov 20 2007 at 11:36 AM |
It seems in this life we are in the continual process of self-discovery made further complicated by the ever present lessons, maturing and stages of life we journey through. And yet as I long to discover my individuality, I realize that it can only be expressed fully in the context of a community. The community is a myriad of lives with different experiences, shapes, sizes, different places in the their journey and different hopes and dreams.
It seems to me that in the midst of this community there are those who though very different, we choose to walk together, be it for a lifetime or a day. The degree in which we choose to live our lives together seems to be to the degree that we share common values and experiences. As a kite flyer, I enjoy spending time with others who enjoy the sport. But there are other significant touch points that are deeper than a hobby, an experience or a polical view. Something much deeper, something eternally significant.
A kinship if you will as there is this mysterious relationship – ones who are born from above, through the shed blood of Jesus Christ into this thing called the family of God. It is likened as to a body constituted of many different parts with different functions and yet in the mystery of the Holy Spirit makes us as one. Neither Jew, nor gentile, male or female but equal being very diverse yet one in spirit and in Christ. Living stones being formed into spiritual houses. Many parts coming together to be a prophetic manifestation of the resurrected Jesus! No one piece but together we manifest a mosaic of the height and breadth and depth of the love of God that is in Christ Jesus.
Consider Henri Nouwens' description of the mosiac of community / the Church:
Community is like a large mosaic. Each little piece seems so insignificant. One piece is bright red, another is cold blue or dull green, another warm purple, another sharp yellow, another shining gold. Some look precious, others ordinary. Some look valuable and some wothless. Some look gaudy, others delicate. As individual stones, we do little with them except compare them and judge their beauty and value. When, however, all these little stones are brought together on one big mosaic portraying the face of Christ, who would ever question the importance of any one of them? If one of them, even the least spectacular one, is missing, the face is incomplete. Together in one mosaic, each little stone is indispensible and makes a unique contribution to the glory of God. That’s community, (the Church), a fellowship of little people who together make God visible in the world. Lifting our lives to others happens every time we speak or act in a way that makes our lives for others. When we are fully able to embrace our own lives, we discover that what we claim we also want to proclaim. A life well held is indeed a life for others. We stop wondering whether our life is better or worse than others and start seeing clearly that when we live our life for others we not only claim our individuality but also proclaim our unique place in the mosaic of the human family".
To be made into the image of Christ is to discover and become the fullness of who we're truly created to be. It is in this process of discovering Jesus who dwells in us, that we together as unique individuals, manifesting the experience of this journey, make visble the Kingdom and the manifold goodness of God. This to a world who so desperately seeks something deeper than themselves where they are free to be who they were created to be to the Glory of God.
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Father God, may I together with all the saints be able to comprehend what is the breadth and length and height and depth, to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that we may be filled up to all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.
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