Been There. Done That.

We are truly living in interesting times.

We live more "wired" lives, yet without wires.
We live more "connected" to the world and those around us, both locally and globally, and yet it so many ways, we suffer from multiple disconnects.

We attempt to relate and understand, and yet in times of such diverse experiences, that can be difficult. Expressing our true understanding convincingly, may fall short of our desired effect.

Then there are moments, when you're wife is headed to work a double shift and jokingly asks if you would take her place. No, honey... I already worked two 13 hour days this week (plus 3 other 11's).

As the church engages community, this is one of the beautiful aspects of the Gospel. While we may or may not be able to relate to the exact experience being shared by the one standing in front of us, we can reflect the character of Christ, who has experienced the emotion of all humanity.

All to often, one's compassion isn't understand because we can't directly relate to the experience itself. Yet consider this... is it really the experience we wished somebody understood? Or is it the emotion and the reaction that the experience brings out of us that we wished someone could relate?

In fact, most everything Christ experienced was the extreme of humanity; for He carried the sins of the world on His shoulders. Betrayal, denial, abandoned by friends, dismissed by His own community; even God the Father had to turn His head away from the Cross.

And yet so many feel and believe that not only, can't Christians relate, but neither can Christ. And how wrong they are. For Christians were themselves, dead in sin before their confession of Christ. And Christ took on sin that man may be restored with God for all eternity.

Thus, on this #communitySaturday, pray that we would be people who would greater reflect and portray Christ to a world desperately seeking for relationship and connection. May they come to a place of understanding, that connection with God is made available through the suffering of Christ who experienced first-hand, the trials of the human life. Pray today would be a day the eye-scales are removed and hearts illuminated as the mind hears the revelation truth of the love of Jesus Christ. And as we've discussed this week, may we come to place of greater trust, that God is using all of our trials and troubles to bring about good in our lives, for His glory.

For God is not one of waste.
Everything has a plan and a purpose
And in His timing,
Is all made beautiful
For His glory.
For the advancement of the Gospel.

- PNC

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