This past Sunday we talked about a burning bush, a communal God and why Adam actually needed a helper! The big picture behind it all can be summed up in one word, community. I believe community is one of the most undervalued things around. It is taken for granted, left by the wayside, abused, cheated and most often, forgotten.
Starting first with Adam and Eve and continuing through to Moses' encounter with the burning bush, we see the want of an almighty God to connect, not just with one person, but with all His people. And as we read through the Bible we constantly see this incredible truth, that an all powerful, all mighty God, wants to be, more than anything else, with His people.
It culminates when in John 1:14 the Word becomes flesh, and this all powerful and almighty God comes down to earth. One of the things that we tend to forget about what Jesus left behind is most probably one of the most important aspects in understadnig the character of God... community. Jesus created a community that changed the world! We call it Church. But it is not a building. A building is but a comfortable place that keeps the rain off our heads. The church is the gathering of God's people, His community that comes together. A community that can only happen when God brings together people through forgiveness and mercy and compassion and tenderness.
Even though we can experience God independently and personally, we cannot experience God in His fullness outside of community. How important is community is honestly based on how important you believe your relationship with God is. The stronger your involvement in His community, the stronger your relationship will develop with Him! So I want to encourage you, get involved in church community, but don't just base your community involvement on a couple of hours on Sunday. It has to be a lifestyle... above all else.
