We are the church

If we are weary in the battle of church, our relationship with God, then we are doing something wrong.

First, it’s not a battle. God says he will FIGHT FOR us.

Second, He did not come to make us weary – He comes with restorative hands, saying “I will give you rest”

As a church, we are not called to create battles within ourselves – though it sure feel like it sometimes. Sometimes the Big C church is a hard place to be. But, the church is the bride of Christ. It is a place of refuge for the weary, a light in a city on a hill that should not be hidden, a fortress so strong that even the gates of hell would
not prevail against it. We are called here to unity, to encouragement, to messiness and sweat and tears and yes, battle wounds. But this is not from each other. This is a battle not against flesh and blood but against the rulers and principalities. And we get our strength from Jesus, who came as a child from a
King, to live, be crucified, resurrected and ascended, all for this sake of relationship and for his plan of the church as a rescue, to put others to the ultimate rescuer, Jesus. This was not plan a or plan b. This is his plan.

We are the ones who turn the other cheek, who always offer more, before we are asked. We open our doors, we put on warm meals. We take hearts in hands and see the good things and call them out and see the tired things and provide words of reassurance and resurrection. This is our calling. To be out in the world rescuing it. To be reconciliators of Christ and people.

Why do we do this? Because he first loved us. He showed us true complete love. Because he gave his life for us to show us love goes FAR, even for and maybe especially for our enemies. Because he made a way with his death for us to know God in fullness and in truth, in completeness. Because he gave us his spirit which lives inside us and gives us access to the mind of Christ. Who promises to pray on our behalf when we don’t have the words. Who promises to gives us the right words in the right moment in conversations with others. Because he went out in bravery, we go out in his bravery. He coats us in his likeness.

Our identity is Christ. which we often mistake with our whole being, what we are summed up as, but it really is a reflection. So we are all that we are, made in the image of God, reflecting the image of God. For all the world to see. For all the world to know. So when they are weary, they see our light. We are a lighthouse for the lost and crashing. We are a beacon of hope.

So let’s start here and now and show up for each other. Pray for each other. Encourage each other. Be rescued so we can bring others to Christ, who is our rescuer. We are the church.