Community – highly valued, safe, full of praise.  1 Timothy 1.5

Good Day. 

There was a slight breeze and a cool tinge to the air, and there was electricity—remember the anticipation of the first day of school?  That’s how I felt today, heading to our new meeting place for Women of Passion, (the weekly women’s Bible study I have led for many years).  See, we have outgrown the homes in which we’ve been meeting, and are fortunate enough to move to a local church ‘café’.  Change . . . ah, change! 

Today’s opening song was ‘The Prayer’ – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xdlsu4sCaU&list=RD02cjNfkbQr5zc                    “I pray you'll be our eyes, and watch us where we go.

And help us to be wise in times when we don't know

Let this be our prayer, when we lose our way

Lead us to the place, guide us with your grace

To a place where we'll be safe . . .”      Most of us closed our eyes and listened, basking in the rich melody as well as the inspiration and comfort of the lyrics.  For so many of us, we were in our safe place … the community we love.

We start each week with a song that gives God his rightful place in our midst, a song of praise that lifts more than a melody, but also our hearts to him.  It is beneficial in maintaining ‘sincere or genuine faith,’ as Paul admonished: The purpose of my instruction is that all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and a genuine faith.¹

It has been a while since I referenced Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a stalwart devoted man of God, born in pre-war Germany, and later martyred.  His life and legacy— his stand for Jesus Christ, brilliant mind and writings are beyond inspiring!² Bonhoeffer truly valued Christian community, seeing it as emanating from the heart of a loving God.  He wrote:                                           “God has prepared for himself one great song of praise throughout eternity, and those who enter the community of God join in this song. It is the song that the “morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy” at the creation of the world³.  It is the victory song of the children of Israel after passing through the Red Sea, the Magnificat of Mary after the annunciation, the song of Paul and Silas in the night of prison, the song of the singers on the sea of glass after their rescue, the “song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb.⁴” It is the song of the heavenly fellowship.”⁵

And I reflect once again on Paul’s writing to the Philippians: “I thank my God every time I remember you.  In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart… ”⁶

Why did Paul feel so keenly about Christian community – the Christian family he had spawned and shaped, and of which he had taken part?  Indeed, his overt, out-spoken love was formative in each community, and part and parcel of how the early church and all of the churches Paul started, conducted ministry.

Why did Bonhoeffer so highly esteem Christian community?  It certainly was not because he lacked strong familial love or ties – quite the contrary – he was an integral part of a large, culturally aware, intellectual, artistic, musical, God-loving family of origin.  Bonhoeffer valued Christian community because it is how God meant for his children to live … in communities filled with love, pure hearts, clear consciences, and sincere faith … just as Paul described.

And so, while I believe you and I are part of a community of Jesus Christ, in our give and take of his word and his love, from all around the world, various tribes and tongues, we are also meant to participate in smaller local communities of faith, love, friendship, accountability, grace … and so much more.  Got one?  Got a family of faith in which to flourish and grow?  I pray so.