Shelter in the Christian Community

I was sitting in between my brother and a beloved brother in Christ, pouring out the remnants of a broken heart in the comfort of their counsel and in my living room at 1 in the morning. Venting out of frustration and anger, one of my counselors referenced Shelter by Jars of Clay. He reminded me of the beauty of the church community, and that “we will never walk alone”. Keeping that truth in my heart, I start to meditate upon the shelter of the church body. Even now, I find it difficult to convey such beauty under a community of believers. 

Not too long ago, I have heard and shared a heavy burden with a sister in Christ. Since the day she has asked me to hear the burdens of her heart, I have felt the incredible heaviness and weight of her sorrow. My heart lays heavy with hers, and I was reminded of the day my brothers have carried my burden and counseled me. Though she is walking through a road of uncertainty, I am incredibly humbled and rejoice knowing that she has asked me to walk with her. Holding her hand at this time, God has truly shown me the shelter of the church body - the sharing of the heavy burden with another believer, encouraging, lifting and reminding each other of the truths we know in Jesus Christ. 

What a beautiful community and place that God has created for His children. I feel oblivious and ignorant that I have never realized the magnificence of the church body and the shelter that we have with one another. And with this revelation comes the reminder of the Cross. Our pride that once blocked our hearts from being transparent with each other has been torn down once Jesus has shown us love and grace. The understanding of amazing grace has been made known to us, and because of the magnificent grace He has with us, we are able to have the same grace with each other. Thus, we humbly walk in the shelter of one another, pouring out grace and embracing the person next to us through a time of distress, or rejoicing with each other in a time of blessing. 

But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. - 1 Corinthians 12:24-26

I embrace the shelter. I love the shelter.

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