Endurance for the Journey, Featured, Trust
A Safe Place
But you, dear friends, must build each other up
in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit,
and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who will bring you eternal life.
In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love.
And you must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering.
Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment.
Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution,
hating the sins that contaminate their lives.
JUDE 20-23 (NLT)
Community:
“What if there were a place so safe, that the worst of me could be known
and I wouldn’t be loved less but more in the telling of it”
The Cure by John Lynch, Bruce McNichol and Bill Thrall
When I read this quote, I was blown away. I asked myself, could a place like this really exist? Could there really exist a community this safe? Over the past 13 years I’ve actually discovered this community. It is not a large community and it is not a perfect community, but it’s a community I trust, and they trust me!
I have also discovered this community does not crop up overnight. It takes nurturing, forgiving, loving when it’s hard, working through really uncomfortable stuff. But in the end, it is worth it!
It is worth it to have a few good friends – a community that loves you well and you get to love them back. A group of friends that do life with you through the good, the bad and sometimes the ugly seasons of life! A group you grow closer to and in doing so grow closer to Jesus as they encourage you in your faith. A community that loves you even on your worst day!
And let us consider how we may spur one another on
toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together,
as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another –
and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
HEBREWS 10:24-25 (NIV)
On the journey with you,
Dave Dravecky