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Day 1: God Desires Community
God Himself is community. He exists as God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit—a perfect, eternal community. We may never fully comprehend the Trinity of God, but we can recognize that He models perfect community. Before we even begin to grasp the idea of community for ourselves, we have to start here.
Since the beginning of time, God made this a priority for creation because it reflects who He is. When we read the Creation Story, we see that God was not merely displaying his power. Yes, He created the heavens and the earth, the sun, moon, and stars. But His most beautiful creation was a harmony between God, man, and the earth itself. In the beginning, when everything was perfect, God and man lived in perfect wholeness (shalom) with all of creation. This is how things are supposed to be because it represents who God is.
God is perfect and did not need us or creation, but He chose us. This means that He desires a relationship with us. Have you ever thought about that? God created us because He wants to be in community with us. He is not a brooding authority figure in our lives. He is a loving and caring Father who wants to be with us.
No matter how many friendships have failed us and no matter how many times we have failed at friendship, there is a perfect friendship available to us. In Genesis 1, God said, “Let us make man in our image.” Because we are made in God’s image, we are made whole in community—first with Him, and then with others.
Reflection/Prayer
It’s amazing to think that God chose a relationship with us. Living in a community was an important part of creation. How does it feel to know that God designed us to live this way? If it is discouraging at first, that’s ok. This type of community can often seem unattainable. However, as we get to know our Creator and allow Him to know us, the picture becomes clearer. Spend some time today reading the creation story and reflecting on God’s presence in your life. What is God saying to you?
Scripture
About this Plan
We are not meant to live life alone. But how do we prepare ourselves to live in community? Henri Nouwen’s teachings on communion, community, and ministry show us how Jesus lived this out. When we prioritize communion with God, community with others, and ministry to the world, community happens in a healthy way. Explore what healthy community looks like in your life with this 5-day plan.
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