June 15th, 2018

"Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy." 1 Peter 2:10

I remember what it was like before I followed Jesus. It was lonely. It was purposeless. It was depressing. High school for me was for the most part like a tamer version of “Lord of the Flies’. People being cruel for the sake of being cruel! There didn’t seem to be any point. 

And yet, when I was on camp or after I’d left school and joined a church, well life seemed bigger, brighter. I was on an adventure with Jesus and anything could or would happen. 

I am forever grateful that I found the people of God and I want to remember that privilege and honour! Jimmy Needham describes it beautifully in ‘Fence Riders’ . . . .

Can I sing about my maker
And have you not roll your eyes
Can I weep about my Savior
And the way He died
I know it don't make sense
To those who ride the fence
But I'm sold out to Christ

We are the people of God! We get to sing about our Saviour. What better way to live life than this? 

And yet, as the years roll on sometimes I forget about the privilege and honour. I forget what life was like before. I start to take it for granted.

Because life is busy and the days are short! 

Why should we give to others? Why should we care? 

Because we know God’s mercy and now we want others to receive God’s mercy also. Life is bigger, better, brighter as the people of God. 

Church is community with a purpose. It is being with people who love God and love Jesus. When we work together, when we share our lives together, when we give together, the people of God flourish! Individually we forget but together we’re better.