Church- And Relevant Realities

I've been thinking about getting a hunk of wood suitable for cutting and shaping myself a simple small coffee cup -which stirred the following thoughts. My apologies, but my mind works like dominoes with association, this-to-that connected thinking. I suppose that's why writing song lyrics flow pretty easily for me, but as usual I digress...

Have you ever seen a flawed dish, bowl or cup? Perhaps you've been the reason it cracked? Have you ever thrown one away considering it of no use to you or others?

Who is, are "the church" or some might say "the true church"? Scripture, history, reason and God Himself via these and His Own judgement defines it as "called-out ones", "assembly" of those who believe and follow Jesus.

More details exist but they are largely human constructs of form, law and associated -even mere preference.

As "all have sinned", all do sin "missing the mark" in our thoughts, words and desires, since all make mistakes there has never been nor ever shall be prior to Jesus collecting all of His "forever family" together any such thing as a perfect, perfected you and/or I... therefore no fully flawless church.

I have never heard, read nor seen but flawed arguments to what I've just stated here as solid fact and reality.

Having established this, what was God thinking when He Himself established the Church world-wide and local congregations of disciples of Jesus? Well, disciples of course! And He did it with poor fishermen and "no accounts" people, "not many wise, noble" etc., etc.. Peter, the gifted, anointed by the Spirit and obviously flawed dude through which Jesus established as a rock through which to build HIS church!? Again, what was He thinkin'?!!!!

He was thinking about you and I dear friends.

When the Old Testament tells us of the potter creating, molding a vessel on his wheel and in the New Testament Paul speaks of earthen vessels and their use why might we relate?

There is "treasure" involved and that treasure is -can indeed be- you and I flawed reader!

I'm reminded of the Japanese art of taking broken pottery and repairing it with pieces and lines of gold, silver, platinum dust thus creating something new, precious, exquisite of what was otherwise useless and only to be discarded. (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kintsugi)

This is what the Spirit of God does in those who believe and follow our Lord Jesus, flawed as we all are and regardless of how we do our gatherings.

THIS... is the church. We either cling to one another in recognition of our own deep need of community, growth in discipleship, growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord or we do not. It's that simple -and yes, at times complex due to... wait for it... what I wrote in the third paragraph of this post. It's you and I who flee the imperfect because we, not only "they" are equally imperfect!!

This gets back to Jesus' comments about dealing with the log in our eye in reality is a stick in the eye of the other. We don't always see/think/act clearly as we're frustrated, even raging about "THEIR SINS!!" while ignoring and numb to our own.

Look, I've called people one-on-one and entire congregations and crowds out regarding sin most of my life. I've also repented mostly on a daily basis over mine. That's due to the Spirit guiding me via Jesus' words and example that I so very often forgot in the moment, ignored, ran from, reaching out for some petty feeling, desire, idol -just.like.everyone.else.in.and.outside.of."the church"!

As real as the enemy (devil, demons) is and are, my problem and our problem as always been with us because we walk around with true distance from God -and- His people, often very much by choice.

If only the Spirit, human and other "mirrors", personal conviction of truth beyond our own desires and passions did not exist: but they all DO.

What are we to do with this reality?

Repent, believe, learn to follow Jesus and link with God's people in humility, seeking and thus learning daily what grace and spiritual growth is about. Or not.

As always, it's your move.

And as always, I truly thank you for stopping by! -Glenn