Belonging

Warning: A sentimental post ahead .....

I've always liked the verse in Psalm 68 where the psalmist says "YHVH is... a father to the fatherless and a judge for the widows, is Elohim in His kadosh habitation.  YHVH makes a home for the lonely..."  He didn't put the lonely, single or isolated person in a building, a church or a program, he placed them in a home to be part of a family.  As has been said before, there is protection and nourishment in our togetherness. 

It's a healthy and natural need for us to desire to love and be loved; to know and be known.  In a busy world filled with distractions I know how easy it is to forego the time required to develop deep relationships based on a common love for YHVH, His ways and His people. Most times it's only Shabbat that I can actually gather with everyone and this is one of the primary reasons I jealously guard this special day.

I see it as an immense privilege to be part of this small fellowship.  I tried to articulate this thought before but didn't do it very well, but while I was away last year I really missed the community but with a sense that I in turn was being missed, which is something I've never appreciated before.  (If I wasn't missed then just leave me to my delusions!) The thought that perhaps others were thinking of me or appreciated and missed my presence in the community was quite a revelation and to be honest, quite a humbling one.  But I think without this sense of being genuinely loved and appreciated then we really miss out on a big part of the relationship. Much has been written in the scriptures about being a body, but if we don't have an appreciation and sense of our own value to the body then we are all somewhat diminished.  Not valued for what we do but for who we are.  I don't want to be remembered or valued for the gifts that I may contribute, I want to be remembered and valued for the person I was and became as a result of being part of everyone else.  Mm, perhaps too long winded and not explaining myself very well again.  Suffice to say, I really do value each of you individually and all that you are.

Hebron has certainly been a big part in our expression of community hasn't it.  Good times, dark and challenging times, growth times, fun times and all in all, invaluable.

We are preparing this property for the age to come, which is probably just as well because my impatience to get things done would get the better of me!  I still get a kick out of planting trees rather than just daisy bushes.  I've moved quite a lot in my time and as a rule I would only plant daisy bushes or annuals because I knew I wasn't going to be there long enough to enjoy anything else. 

An old friend, Elaine, was someone who understood the value of investing into the age to come.  Elaine gave us the oak tree that is growing outside the window of the community lounge and it's a great memorial to a woman of prayer.  As we commit and submit to each other we are investing in the slow, steady growth of a forest, not merely the quick and short lived enjoyment of annual flowers.

As we enter the season for the festivals we not only anticipate celebrating these days together, but also prepare and look forward to that great day when Yeshua returns in all His majesty to usher in the reign of peace and righteousness.

May we all be blessed by each other's presence and by YHVH's great love and mercy.