Devotion - Thursday, October 24

In my reading of I Corinthians, I see so many ways in which the words which Paul writes also address the topics we discuss over coffee or sitting in the LCM Lounge.  Not often enough do I stop to remind you that what we look upon as "scared books of the Bible," began as personal letters between Paul and the members of his faith community.

"I Corinthians" is Paul's first letter to the church in Corinth.  Paul writes to real people about the real questions they ask and the real issues they face.

So long as the the community of faith consists of real people, they will have real questions and face real issues.  The community which we share is no different in that regard.  What does make our community different are the resources we have to answer the questions and address the issues.

We are a community which exists of those whom God has claimed.  Unlike voluntary associations (gatherings where folks share a common, external trait - such as liking to play ultimate Frisbee, or being talented musically, or preferring one NASCAR driver over another), we are a community defined by God's act of selection.  We came into this community because God invited us in.  Those already in the community did not take a vote on admission; God's vote is the only one needed and the only one that counts.  

The resource we have at our disposal is the confidence that God has chosen us (each of us) and that God sees in us (in all of us) those traits which are desirable and helpful.  We can have this confidence about ourselves; and we can interact with others with the confidence that this is also true about them.

I desperately wanted to play football.  I managed to secure a spot on the team when I was in 7th grade and 8th grade.  By 9th grade, I was too far behind in growth and muscle development to be allowed a uniform.  They cut me.  I am sure that over the years there have been various times when my fellow church members considered ways to separate me from themselves.  But that was not an option.  They were stuck with me - God is the only one who could cut.  And so they sat with me, and they lovingly told me which of my behavior patterns made living with me difficult.  And through an extended process of confession and forgiveness we learned to live together, in this community to which God had called both of us.

Real letters to real people with real issues.  And a REALLY wonderful gift in working through each of the curves along the way.