Privileged

Then rose up the heads of the fathers' houses of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites, everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up to rebuild the house of the Lord that is in Jerusalem. And all who were about them aided them with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, with beasts, and with costly wares, besides all that was freely offered.
Ezra 1:5-6 (ESV)
 
Community is more purpose than presence. The people saw a need and worked together to meet that need. They gave freely or were, in a sense, joyful givers. We get into trouble when the community becomes more about presence than purpose. The community that gathers together at church should find commonality in the purpose, persecution, and provision they have been a part of throughout the week. Their purpose of bringing Christ to their worlds binds them together and provides a community like none other.
 
Being a part of God's work is challenging and often more costly than you’d like, but it is also more rewarding than you expected. Some are privileged to be part of purposeful communities on earth, while others keep their eyes on that community of unseen friends mentioned at the beginning of Hebrews chapter twelve.
 
It is a privilege to be used by God to accomplish anything.
 
 


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