It snowed in some parts of our community this week and everything shut down. We never got much snow, but that doesn't seem to matter. Friends, family and neighbors cancelled plans on us for four consecutive days. At one point, I sent "last minute" invites to twelve separate families, only to be rejected by all of them. My hopes for community did not match the reality of this week.
So, in this place of feeling sorry for myself, I agreed to meet sweet Megan at the gym on Friday. I left right after dinner at our table set for more than three and told my husband he was in charge for the rest of the night. But when barre class ended fifteen minutes before bedtime, I realized something important about community. There's a toddler who invites me into every part of his life. He invites me to dance parties and Octonaut watching marathons. He wants to hear stories and say "I love yous" and snuggle as a family before getting into his crib. When I'm missing the larger community, I am still part of a beautiful community in my own home.
The LORD God said, "It is not good that man be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him." - Genesis 2:18
During all of my years as a single woman, I craved the community that waits for me at home. I worked so hard pastoring teenagers and counseling adults that in moments like Thursday, I forget how circumstances have changed. I forget that community can be those who share my last name and smile lines. And this community, little as it is, is good. This community, too, brings credit back where it's due: the original community, the family of Heaven.
Saturday, January 18, 2020
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Ephesians 5
Therefore, be imitators of God as dearly loved children and live in love, just as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God. But among you there must not be either sexual immorality, impurity of any kind, or greed, as these are not fitting for the saints. Neither should there be vulgar speech, foolish talk, or coarse jesting – all of which are out of character – but rather thanksgiving. For you can be confident of this one thing: that no person who is immoral, impure, or greedy (such a person is an idolater) has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
Let nobody deceive you with empty words, for because of these things God’s wrath comes on the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them, for you were at one time darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of the light – for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth – and find out what pleases the Lord. Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For the things they do in secret are shameful even to mention. But all things being exposed by the light are made evident. For everything made evident is light, and for this reason it says:
“Awake, O sleeper!
Rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you!”
Therefore be very careful how you live – not as unwise but as wise, taking advantage of every opportunity, because the days are evil. For this reason do not be foolish, but be wise by understanding what the Lord’s will is. And do not get drunk with wine, which is debauchery, but be filled by the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music in your hearts to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for each other in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord, because the husband is the head of the wife as also Christ is the head of the church – he himself being the savior of the body. But as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her to sanctify her by cleansing her with the washing of the water by the word, so that he may present the church to himself as glorious – not having a stain or wrinkle, or any such blemish, but holy and blameless. In the same way husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one has ever hated his own body but he feeds it and takes care of it, just as Christ also does the church, for we are members of his body. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and will be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. This mystery is great – but I am actually speaking with reference to Christ and the church. Nevertheless, each one of you must also love his own wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
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