We were made for
COMMUNITY. We were meant for a shared journey with one another. We are a
body. We can’t do it on our own. We need each other. There is a reason why we
gather as believers. There is a reason why we share testimony to build up each
other’s faith in what the Lord is doing. Traveling here there and everywhere over the
past year (or being out of college for that matter) has made the word
“community” translate something in my heart like never before. It has bubbled
up a thankfulness in my heart from a deep deep well for the people that I’m
surrounded by and live life with. He has entrusted something beautiful to me. Community
- It makes you come alive. We all ache for real community that knows us, that
understands us, encourages us, and yes pushes us. Believe it or not, we want to
be pushed and challenged. We want MORE.
“Let us hold fast the profession of our
faith without wavering (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider
one another to PROVOKE unto love and
good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner
of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day
approaching.“ [Hebrews 10: 23-25 KJV]
I love the word provoke here. It’s edgy. It pushes. It
challenges. By definition it’s to stir
up, or call forth (feelings, desires, or activity), to give rise to, induce, or
bring about. In essence, to leave the so-called vision state we are in for an
expanded vision of another. Provoke
each other to what? To love, and yes good works. I know a lot of us think good
works, and our mind immediately goes to service projects, or have like a “good
deed” mentality. However, there is more here than just meets the eye. I learned
something here going over this text. By the original Greek translation the word
used for works here is “ergon” and is translated in this passage into “God
works.” Wow. SO…. Let us provoke each other into God works. Amazing. This altered
my thinking all together and dropped something in my heart that just stirred me
to overflow. God works --- the kind of
things that ONLY GOD CAN DO. Let us
provoke each other into things that only God can do. To push each other
past ourselves and to things that there is no way we can do in and of
ourselves; things that if God doesn’t show up will not happen. This takes big
faith. And even just saying that makes me want to jump out of my seat with
excitement. We all want to be apart of something we cannot do on our own -
something far greater than ourselves. It’s exhilarating. However, this cannot
happen on our own. This takes other people coming along side us, to join us in
vision and faith. To provoke us. There are times when I can’t believe, when I
am filled with doubt, or quite frankly scared out of my mind. We need each others’ faith. We are a
line walking together as a community toward a goal and when I weaken and fall
behind I need someone to push me back to the line, and not only to the line but
forward. I need someone to provoke me. There is a beautiful responsibility we
take on for each other as a community of believers - it’s about the physical
representation of the church, CHRIST, on this earth – His glory; His renown,
and that is our united aim.
What is our expectation? What is our vision? What is your
God given calling? The questions arises shouldn’t our aim be high, our vision
be huge if we know and understand we have the spirit of God that raised Christ
from the dead and that that same power resides in and is working through us?
And not only if we understand that individually, but take hold of that corporately–
the power in that to do the immeasurably more He promises in Ephesians 3:20-21
astounds me.
We need to leverage our faith for each other. In moments
when one can’t see what’s ahead, we can be their eyes. In moments when someone
can’t believe the capacity of what the Lord has called them to, we can believe
for them. When someone can move anymore, we can be their legs. It is more about
awakening each other to what is already in us: what He has spoken- calling out
gifts in each other to use for the kingdom, reminding each other of the
authority we have in Christ and ultimately pushing and helping each other grow
into the likeness of Christ.
Going back to the Hebrews 10 verse above, I love the mention
of encouraging the body as well as provoking the body. We need to be
encouraged, but we also need to be pushed for more… into a fullness of life
that we could not attain without the power of Christ. As a community, as a
body, we are entering a new frontier of risk and faith. Let us take the safety
net out of our prayers and pray boldly, believing and trusting the Lord to do
what He has promised. Let’s in unity spur and provoke each other into things
that only God can do.
“But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.” [Hebrews
10:39]
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