Stay Awake: Community vs. Isolation Pt. 2

Let's not be suckers. I hate being a sucker. At times I am so easily duped by the enemy. Being a sucker makes me alert and aware of how real the battle is for our hearts. It really is bloody. It really is real. Our hearts are inherent landscape for the kingdom of God and satan hates that real estate. Keeping us isolated from one another, not tasting real communion with God and real community with one another, is his viable option prior to his ultimate melt down. And so flame throwing he goes.

There are myriad ways that we end up isolated from one another and ultimately God as well. There are a couple that have seemed to stand out to me over the years. And what is tricky is they aren't necessarily highly expected as potential quick sand. I mean let's lead with some substantial things here to merit being doomed to isolation. It has to be stuff like murder and adultery right? Well they certainly contribute their fair share to the confusion that trickles and floods into isolation. What about some perhaps seemingly quieter options like constant surface talk and being afraid alone.

When I take stock of the allure and pull to never speak below the surface about what is happening in my inner life, it's humbling. The option to keep the meaningless drivel of completely self protective surface talk going ends up being an attractive choice compared to the courageous Spirit led journey into exposing our inner life to our fellow pilgrims. God help us. Or similarly to feel and be afraid and choose to face it alone because of how hard it is to navigate the chaos of our hearts. We couldn't possibly even know what movement towards a community of fellow pilgrims would look like because of the intensity of the chaos that we are even partially aware of in our heart. So isolation seems safer and understandable. I've lived it. It's deadly.

And so where is God in the midst of this story line? In my decision to live alone in fear and surface talk, God is reduced to a token God which leads to fake people with fake hearts being fake. This only encourages the isolation to continue. Ahhhh, but what about when I encounter the real God? Thanks be to God, He is growing real people with real hearts being real! Is this even a thing? It is. He does it. It's not instantaneous usually, but He says this is what He is doing. HE DOES IT. We don't limit Him. He so abundantly longs for a people for Himself, a remnant, a community...that He IS THE REAL GOD, GROWING REAL PEOPLE WITH REAL HEARTS BEING REAL! This attacks satan's tactic of isolation.

The bible book of Ephesians chapter 2 verse 12 says it this way..."You who once were far away (isolation) HAVE BEEN BROUGHT NEAR THROUGH THE BLOOD OF JESUS (community)!"

The blood of Jesus makes us real and brings us near to the Savior......and each other. Yes!

God help me to live this! I want to be near You and your community.

There's more.