Have you ever thought about who belongs in your community? What is that exactly? Is community the people who live in the houses on your street? Is it your church family? Who plays a part in your community? Well, I like to think about things like this, so I will share my thoughts. Community, in my opinion is the relationships that we invest in. According to the world, community is your town or village or neighborhood. Spiritually speaking, it revolves around your relationships. My good friend, Bren White, likes to say "It's all about relationship!" That is what life is meant to encompass... relationship. We are not meant to be alone. We are not meant to be secluded. We are meant for community, relationship, fellowship.
About three years ago I read a very interesting book entitled, The Community Life of God by Milt Rodriguez. I enjoyed it a lot. In it, Mr. Rodriguez spoke about our design for relationship/community. He had some interesting points about how God feels about relationship. I grew up with the thought that God sat on a cloud in heaven answering prayers and giving guidance alone. I don't know why I thought that way exactly, but that is what was in my childhood mind. With the help of Mr. Rodriguez I see how God, from before time, has been in constant community and relationship with the Son and the Spirit! They are always working together. They are always in fellowship. They are always in communion. That thought was profound for me. It made me see Jesus in the garden and on the cross in a new light. I always saw Christ as being alone in those places, but I'm sure He wasn't. The cross may have been the first time that there was a separation of the three and that is why Jesus said, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" (which means "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?") in Matthew chapter 27.
I think about those that I have been in close communion with. I think about important conversations and times of prayer. I think about the laughter and tears. I think about confession and blessing. Ask yourself (and I will ask myself too), "What do I look for in community? What do I put into my community and relationships?" Jesus put a lot into His community when He was in fellowship with the twelve. He modeled fellowship, relationship and community throughout His ministry. If we want to be like Jesus, I believe one ingredient is to dive into community and to discover how we might bless, encourage, love, share and fulfill.
