We’re In This Together!
We have all heard the saying, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!” The purpose of the saying is to explain that different people can look at the same thing and come away with radically different views and perceptions and opinions of what they are seeing. That is certainly true when applied to the “church.” Many people see the church merely as a religious organization that exists for its own purposes. Others see it as a social gathering to bring people together around a common cause to promote love and good deeds. Still others have a more negative view, seeing the church as a group of self-righteous, judgmental hypocrites!! FEW people see it as GOD sees it, and how He desires His people to see it: as a “called-out assembly,” made up of people who have received God’s grace in Jesus Christ and who now exist to make Him known through the proclamation of the Gospel and by living together in grace and love for the glory and praise of God!! This is the “Bride of Christ,” THE “CHURCH,” the “ekklesia!” And when Christ looks at His Bride, the Bride IS beautiful!!! As Paul begins his letter to the church in Philippi, it is easy to detect his love for his fellow believers. As the Spirit works within him and them, Paul sees the beauty of the Bride of Christ and in that he rejoices! Do YOU see the beauty of the Bride of Christ?? Are you part of Christ’s Bride? Are you doing your part to make her beautiful so others can see the love and grace of God in our midst?? Pray for wisdom to understand these things and for grace and power to live to bring glory and praise to God!!