When God brings us all together for the ONE.
We serve the God of connection. The very first page of the Bible tells us that humans are designed for connection with God and others. Just 26 verses into His epic love story, He says:
“Let us [the complete triune God] make humanity in our image, according to our likeness. Let them rule over the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the animals, the whole earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth.” So God created humanity in his image; In the image of God he created [humanity]; Male and female he created them."
In this first mention of humankind, we see a subtle indications that humanity is designed, in keeping with God's own likeness, to work together. This week we really watched that interconnected reflection of God display itself in our community. Maybe the easiest way for me to explain the intricate and beautiful thing God did, is to introduce all the players.
Tina. Tina is a tremendous grandmother. She helps her family as much as she can. When her daughter was struggling, Tina stepped up to care for 3 small grandchildren on short notice and with very little support.
Anissa. Anissa is a county case worker. When she met Tina, she identified a few items that would make it easier for her to care for her grandchildren. Anissa has been using CarePortal for years, and she knew she could turn to the church with these needs. She submitted the request on Tina's behalf, in order to keep these children out of the foster care system.
The Liberty University Football Team. The LU football team in Virginia, is an official Champion of CarePortal in Cincinnati. The young men on this team read through OUR local CarePortal requests (CarePortal.org). They pray over each one, and they regularly send funding directly to our local church team! They saw the request for diapers, formula and help with clothing and their hearts went out to Tina.
Mandy. Mandy is the amazing woman who leads the LU football team in prayerful consideration of each CarePortal Request. She's the one teaching these young men of God the importance of generosity and stewardship. Mandy responded to the request and actually sent funding to pay for the diapers and formula Tina needed to care for her grandkids.
Renae. Ok, that's me. I help facilitate the use of the CarePortal tool. I rally volunteers to meet needs and I lead a dedicated prayer team to pray for every family we serve. This week, we shook things up. Instead of passing the prayer request on to our small prayer team, I printed out prayer cards with the name, short story and the prayer requests from all TEN of the families we served last week. I passed them out during our Sunday Service, and asked the congregation prayed over each family. Tina's name was on one of those cards.
Marlene. Marlene was handed the card with Tina's prayer requests. As a grandmother herself, Marlene identified with Tina and as she prayed, she felt the Lord prompt her to provide additional support to Tina's household.
Heather. Heather is part of a connection team. She has a heart for meaningfully connections with the families in her neighborhood. Heather committed to meet with Tina, pray with her in person, and drop off the items that had so generously been provided by LU, Mandy and Marlene!
Cindy. Cindy is a high school student in need of community service hours to graduate. She's part of a church youth group who regularly steps in and helps with CarePortal connections. She's Heather's daughter, and this week they spent some quality mother daughter time serving one of the sweetest grandmas they will ever meet.
Here's the point.
"He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love." ~Ephesians 4:16
We are all connected... we serve the same purposes because we serve the same God. And this week, our God used many people with various jobs, diverse callings and different roles. He brought them ALL together for the sake of 3 kids in the care of 1 grandmother. The Holy Spirit spoke to college boys, and grandmas, mothers and daughters, a kid's pastor and a caseworker... and each of them heard, "Help Tina." And in the end, each one of us contributed our own "special work". We gave what we had. Some gave time and others gave funding. Some made phone calls and others made long trips across town. Someone had the physical ability to carry items up the stairs, and another had the microphone on stage asking her congregation to pray. God was glorified as we displayed HIS image in our connection with HIM and with each other.
May the whole body be healthy, thriving, and full of love. May we continue to serve our community TOGETHER. May we continue to reveal God through connected unity to our neighbors! And may each of us purpose in our hearts to give what we have, do what we can, and to lean on each other for the rest. ~amen
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