Paul shared his appreciation for some strong points among the church at Thessalonica (I, 1:3,4):  “your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.”  To those of Ephesus (1:15), the apostle said:  “having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and your love for all the saints…”

Indeed, certain biblical characteristics should be common to every congregation.  But the thing I am thinking about is this:  in your opinion, what are three great strengths of the Glenwood church?  Will I thoughtfully consider that? Jot them down?

Then, will I consider that the Lord may want both to multiply it all and add to it, far beyond its current place, and include me along the journey?  Have I ever been part of something like that?  In other words, will I, first, see what already IS among us because of Jesus, and, second, deeply desire what CAN BE among us, with His mighty hand upon it?  And, will I believe myself to be a part of how and when He goes about it all?

Three great strengths.  Let’s start with that, knowing full well that God does not intend to stop there.  Proof?  Look at Ephesians 3:20,21, said to the same believers of 1:15, which is where we started.  How about that?!

robert

“For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb.”  (Psalm 139:13)  Okay, so who is the ME here?  I don’t claim to grasp all the mysteries of life in the womb.  But I can see a ME as distinguished from the SHE of the mother’s womb.  This is how God, the ultimate life-Definer, said it.   It appears that He sees a lot more than a mere blob of fetal tissue.

You may also want to think about how the Lord put it about Jeremiah in 1:5  What are we to make of that YOU?  Does that not sound like personhood?  I don’t ask us to dissect and unravel all of this discussion’s nuances. I simply ask us to think about how God, in these texts, talks about the unborn.

Oh, almost forgot.  Place your name there, instead of ME. The Lord was involved with you before you were even born.  He always has had a supreme interest in you!  Not bad, huh?!

Robert