“Because God has already laid
the only foundation of our fellowship, because God has bound us together in one body with other Christians in Jesus Christ, long before we entered into common life with them, we enter into that common life not as demanders but as thankful recipients. We thank God for what he has done for us. We thank God for giving us brethren who live by His call, by His forgiveness, and His promise. We do not complain of what God does not give us; we rather thank God for what He does give us daily. And is not what has been given us enough: brothers, who will go on living with us through sin and need under the blessing of His grace? Is the divine gift of Christian fellowship anything less than this, any day, even the most difficult and distressing day? Even when sin and misunderstanding burden the communal life, is not the sinning brother still a brother, with whom I, too, stand under the Word of Christ? Will not his sin be a constant occasion for me to give thanks that both of us may live in the forgiving love of God in Jesus Christ? Thus the very hour of the disillusionment with my brother becomes incomparably salutary, because it so thoroughly teaches me that neither of us can ever live by our own words and deeds, but only by that one Word and Deed which really binds us together–the forgiveness of sins in Jesus Christ.” ~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together
We enter into and out of communities at a rapid rate. Because we have to, because Uncle Sam has no regard for roots, or for heart friends, or for places and people I fall in love with. In our marriage we have encountered three wildly different and beautiful communities in which to share our lives and be encouraged. (We are working on number four right now). These words provide such encouragement in the midst of our messy day to day lives as we sin and are sinned against. P. wrote yesterday, “Christians are not called to learn Scripture, follow Jesus’ example, pray, or live in community with other believers just in order to make this life more tolerable and comfortable.”
I am just thankful this day that Christ provided us with community as yet another way to marvel at His saving grace.
~M.