A New Community (c) Ethel Hiday Wicksey
http://ethelswritings.yolasite.com/
A New Community
It says in the Bible that there is no wall high enough, wide enough, or long enough to stop the love of God. Well, I have found it to be true that when the love of God is being shared, it jumps over walls no matter how big, or long, or wide they are.
The love of God will spread like a forest fire. Once God's love comes to a street with power and revival, there is no stopping it. Once a forest fire starts, and a wind comes up it is hard to put it out. I know a lot about forest fires. I have witnessed a lightning strike that caused a fire to burn out of control for several days.
Just picture your street in your mind. You have all kinds of people living near you, and they go to different churches. Mr. Abby goes over to the Right Church and Mr. Dill goes up the hill to the High church. Mr. Base goes out of town across the river to the far church and Mr. Ellis goes down in the valley to the lower church. Mr. Crew has a church in his basement. Each Church Begins Sunday morning worshiping God and Jesus. Some have organ music some use C D's some use drums and guitars. Some clap their Hands. Some are quiet and sing without music. Most of the people are different because of who their parents and grandparents were. They worship this same God and Jesus in a different way. Each church thinks it has a handle on God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. They worship and feel that their way is the only right way. Mr. Abby feels his way is right, but Mr. Base, Crew, Dill, and Ellis have it all wrong.
Now this revival comes along just like a forest fire.
(A forest fire once it is started will jump rivers, race across valleys and even over roads.) This is what is happening in some of the churches today. The Spirit of God is coming in power to jump over the river, across the valley, up the hill, and even into people’s basements. This fire is trying to burn up all the garbage of differences. It leaves behind the important things like the love of God and Jesus. Some people get out their buckets of criticism and try to put this fire out. Some shovel dirt on it.
It takes awhile but Mr. and Mrs. Abby, Base, Crew, Dill, and Ellis, along with their families are going to the community wide church service once a month and worshiping the same God together. They are finding that the little differences that caused arguments do not seem to matter any more. They can still worship the same God and Jesus at their own Church on Sunday morning, but find that the services are starting to blend more. Mr. Abby hears a good idea from Mr. Dill and says to him self? I wonder! Yes, I think this will work next month when I have youth Sunday. I will phone Mr. Dill, and see if his youth group will come with their band and share with us. He will remember with sadness how that just a few short years ago he would cross the street, rather than have to say good morning to his neighbor Mr. Dill.
Now Mr. Abby, Base, Crew, Dill, and Ellis, meet together each Wednesday morning to have breakfast and share their personal walk with God. They have all found out that God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit is in each of their churches at the same time each Sunday morning. Their vision broadens and they realize that the same God and Jesus along with the Holy Spirit is down in the Valley, up on the Hill, and also over the River, and in the Center of town, at 11:00 on Sunday morning.
On Wednesday morning Mr. Base, starts to share a Personal testimony of how God intervened and his life was saved from injury on Friday. Mr. Dill, and Mr. Ellis asked him what time. A warm feeling comes over Mr. Dill, and Mr. Ellis. They are able to share that they had been working together fixing Mr. Dill’s garage door on Friday morning at that very same time. They share how they were both impressed to stop what they were doing and pray for Mr. Base. They did and had been praying for Mr. Base at that very same moment that he needed help.
Thank you God for building bridges to cross over the river. Thank you God, for mending fences and even tearing some of them down. Thank you God, for Mr. Abby, Mr. Base, Mr. Crew, Mr. Dill, and Mr. Ellis.
My prayer is that as we worship this Sunday, we realize that our bible believing born again Christian neighbors are worshiping the same God across town in their Church.
© Ethel Hiday Wicksey
http://ethelswritings.yolasite.com/
