Common-Unity

Last week I shared some lovely benefits I had witnessed as a result of the Lockdown. If you missed it, here is the link:-

https://sharingsfromsam.blogspot.com/2020/05/be-still-and-wait-well.html

This week I’ve been thinking about my community and how so many people have rallied together to meet the huge need that has been highlighted as a result of the Lockdown. I believe that for many people, they already had this need, but one thing this pandemic has taught us is to think of others, besides ourselves.

The sad truth is that although we may all be enduring the same storm together, we certainly are not all in the same boat experiencing the same level of suffering.

The reality is, that whist some of us with families are still enjoying physical human contact, there are others who are single or alone and can only virtually connect with others. And for those whose love language is touch, this isolation must be extremely painful to bear.

As one who has always believed in a community united by a common goal, where we feed from and serve each other, I believe God has used this opportunity to highlight that we were created for human connection and not to live life in isolation.

Yes, there are daily times and seasons in our lives when we should spend some alone time with God, but the purpose of those times is to recharge and refuel from His source, in order to continue being the hands and feet of God, as we serve our community.

Whilst I have enjoyed my Zoom and video church sermons, one thing I have missed is taking Holy Communion together. To me and my Church, this is more than just sharing the elements in remembrance of the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ. When we use the example of the Last Supper, communion should be enjoyed as part of a meal together; a union of coming together as a community to share a meal together and using bread and wine or grape juice as part of the meal to remember Jesus’s blood that was shed for us and His body that was broken for us.

The Latin root of communion is communionem, meaning fellowship, mutual participation, or sharing, ie something done together, and not alone.

So whilst we prepare for the end of our Lockdown, if you are not already serving in some way, can I challenge you to give a thought to your community and how you can become a part of it to serve and be served in it? If you have ever asked yourself if there is more to life than this, then this is it...

Yes, it will take time, effort and sacrifice, but when we answer the call to become God’s hands and feet in our community, the rewards and benefits are eternal and satisfying, and the opportunities to do so are endless...