Today’s devotion builds on the thoughts from Sunday’s Sermon – Week 7 of “Compelled – Living the Value of Authentic Community” (LISTEN HERE).
“Did you hear what happened?”
The host pastor greeted us as we entered the church in Winston-Salem, NC. It was our monthly pastor study club…the second Tuesday of the month.
The radio was silent on the drive from Cary to Winston Salem and conversation with a brother pastor filled the time.
But the day quickly changed.
One plane.
A second plane.
A strike on the Pentagon
Collapse…one tower…a second tower.
There was no better way to start the tragic day with brothers in the ministry to try to make sense of what was going on, but also spend time in prayer and Scripture.
Like many we were confused and in disbelief. However, we quickly realized the study club we had scheduled was of less importance to getting back to our congregations and providing words of comfort and promise amidst the terror and tragedy of the day.
I don’t remember what happened every moment of September 11, 2001, but like many others I was trying to understand and comprehend what was happening.
But here’s one thing I remember.
I was glad to be with others…with my family and my church family. To have neighbors and friends.
In tragedy, we need each other. In tragedy, communities come together.
We did.
That night we had a special worship at the hotel in which we were worshipping at the time. I don’t remember how many showed up, and honestly I don’t remember what Scripture I shared, but here’s what I remember.
We were in community with the Lord and with each other.
We had the promises and peace of the Lord from his Word and the presence and support of brothers and sisters in Christ.
I pray a tragedy like this never happens again to our country, but what I do pray happens regularly and often is the sharing of community with the Lord and with each other. The Lord has designed us for community, not isolation. He has designed us uniformly as humans, but uniquely as individuals. He desires that we come together, we carry each other’s burdens, we comfort each other, we encourage one another, we pray for one another, we just be with one another.
We need each other because God created us to be with each other.
The unity after 9/11 lasted for a while, but faded all too quickly. I pray that as the week begins with a reminder of the events of 9/11, the desire, the effort, and the blessing of genuine community is something we find and work to build in our homes, but especially in our churches. For the next tragedy or the next celebration, we want to be there for each other as God has put us here to be together.
Ephesians 4:2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
Apply: What has been your most recent experience of genuine/authentic community? What made it a blessing to you and others.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for bringing us together under your love and grace. Lead each of us to make every effort to build and maintain a community which brings the reality of relationship with you to bear as we build relationships with others. AMEN.