You Are Not Alone
You know this. At times you just can’t feel this. When you come through the other side, and are able to share your experience to help someone else, then you get a glimpse of being in a community, belonging to the Body of Christ.
This past week, I attended a Community Worship Network Gathering conference hosted by the Michigan District. It was very informative and productive for me. I learned some things, confirmed some things, and forced me to examine some things. I was not alone. I found people who are in situations that I have been in, and people who have been where I am now. I’m sure you have been in conferences, classes, lectures, and the like that have been informational and were able to share experiences; however, the underlying faith commitment at this conference was phenomenal. A very common theme was: I don’t know what God has planned for me, but He has brought me this far… It is amazing to be part of the Body of Christ.
God put the body together in a way that gave more honor to the parts that lack it. He did it so that there might not be any division in the body, but that the members might all have the same concern for one another. So if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it, or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
From <https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%2012&version=EHV>
I met with some people who were suffering this week. To that end, I shared with a couple of people a thought from a Lutheran and Hebrew language scholar. I hope you will take the time to watch the links, he explains it far better than I can. The Hebrew concept of moving into the future is walking backwards into the future. This way we look at the past, as we move backwards into the future, to see how God has worked to bring us to where we are. We do not see the future, but trust God to bring us through.
The first link is shorter, however, you may need to be signed into Facebook to view it. Click here.
The second link is longer, just over five minutes. Click here.
I think know where I am going, Deo volente. I know where I have been.
I am convinced of this very thing: that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. I am equally convinced that it is right for me to think this way about all of you.
From <https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians%201&version=EHV>
I don’t know where you are today in your walk.
I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called. Live with all humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in the one hope of your calling. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in us all.
But to each one of us grace was given, according to the measure of the gift from Christ.
From <https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%204&version=EHV>
You are not alone.
Trust the Promises,
Steve Skiver