Love is the Essence of Community

Last night a core group from The Loft who is primarily composed of families who participated in the TWUMC Family Mission trip last summer to Costa Rica hosted a reunion dinner for all who went on the trip and some who are scheduled to return there in January. As is the Methodist tradition, we stuffed ourselves with a potluck dinner---laughter; fun and fond affections abounded for adults and kids alike.

What struck me about our time together was the parallel between what our group was experiencing and what we are currently studying in Paul’s Epistle to the Philippians---the Word certainly has become alive to us through this experience in community.

Authentic community begins with our mutual love in Jehovah God; this agapé love extends to those we connect with in community and then expands to those He places in our path (those we connected with in Costa Rica). As stories were told and retold last night---the friendships formed; the needs discovered; the generosity and love toward one another and toward Los Guido Methodist Church in Costa Rica displayed---I (we) need to pause a moment and muse---

How great is our God; how great His love for us is; how great it is to be in connection.

And the really neat thing is---the journey of missional purpose in Los Guidos for this core group is just beginning. It is beginning just because and for love.

As Don Miller in Blue Like Jazz reminds us, too often “the problem with Christian culture (is that) we think of love as a commodity. We use it like money…” (p. 218) Miller realized that he, too, was guilty of this and he was making a mess out of everything----and that he was disobeying God. Miller repented.

Miller grew in this agapé through community and reaching out to others with no expectation of getting anything in return or expecting that the others would fall into “lock-step” with him. I see JOY---the kind of joy Paul was exhorting Christ-followers in Philippi starting to bubble up.

How about you? Are you passionate about where God has placed you? Have you joined Jehovah God on a great adventure? It can begin in community. Selah

Grace,

Bob