Wanting It Now

How do you know when you are excited about you community? You are seriously excited to join your friends for the men's breakfast at 7am on a Saturday morning, only to arrive and 6:58 and find the building dark and the dry, salty parking lot empty. Are you kidding me?? I could have sworn all the announcements said it was today! Nope. Apparently it's next weekend. And I drove off into yet to be seen sunset.

Many people and circumstances cause frustration, anxiety and even fear, about the prospect of coming together and being around "community" in whatever form it takes. And rightly so, perhaps. Personality conflicts. Strong differences in the systems we refer to as beliefs and values. Past turmoils and troubles for which one or many have never healed or recovered.

These are the things that kill community. And ultimately, kill the enthusiasm, such as I possessed this morning, as I drove in the dark while Classic Petra's Back To The Rock album blared through the speakers. (I highly recommend you get the album, by the way)

I submit, quite simply and accurately, that the quality and nature of one's anticipation towards community is a direct result of the people. Conversely, the same is true for everyone else, as they look at the group of which you are a part.

Do you want to experience the power and thrill of a great community?
Determine today that you will contribute positively in making that a part of the culture, in order that others will experience the very thing that you look forward to; much like I was looking forward to breakfast. Fortunately, I didn't miss it. I was just 7 days early. Now I just have to do it again next weekend. And I'll wake up just as excited and enjoy the drive there as well. Perhaps still playing Petra. Then again, the collection around the house is filled with lots of great choices... it's hard to go wrong.

So, let's pray this morning, that each of us would make a great effort to build a great community. One that people look forward to enjoying time and conversation. One in which people look forward to making contribution. Pray that we would continue to speak truth and do so in a spirit of love. May Christ be displayed, even in times of great tragedy, loss and suffering. May the world know there is a God who cares, because the people of God care. Pray that the agendas and biases would stand in the way of the message of the Gospel from going forth in the world, as we live our lives in the communities where God has placed us.

For such a time as this.
For the glory of God.

- PNC