For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone.If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.
New International Version (NIV)
Our salvation is personal but it is not individual. Paul understood that disciples are made in community. A few chapters over he greets the church that meets in Priscilla and Aquila's house. When he and they first met and made tents together, they depended on each other for life. Subsequent shared ministries reminded Paul of how irreplaceable Christian community really is.
In this brilliant letter to the believers in Rome Paul said, "None of us lives or dies for ourselves alone." Connected to Christ, we live our lives in the shelter of each other.
The preacher-poet John Donne said:
"No man is an island entire of itself. . .
Any man's death diminishes me,
Because I am involved in mankind,
And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls;
It tolls for thee."
Pray with me:
Father, thank you for the brothers and sisters whom you have used to sustain us all these years. Eradicate our selfishness. Deepen our love for each other as you deepen our love for you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
I want to invite you to join me in memorizing 52 passages this year from the 2017 set of Fighter Verses. You can find the Fighter Verses App at the App Store on your phones or via this link http://fighterverses.com/the-verses/fighter-verses/. As we study the Bible this year, let's look at each text and learn what it says about God.
Joyfully,
Duane
Copyright 2017. All Rights Reserved.
Share this email:
Manage your preferences | Opt out using TrueRemove™
Got this as a forward? Sign up to receive our future emails.
View this email online.
