One of the greatest things on this side of heaven is the community of God's people. We are part of His plan for each other, and we're all better for it when we lean into that.
Fairly early in the book of Acts (chapter 9), Saul is on his way to Damascus to persecute the Christians there. It was one of his favorite things to do; it made him feel good about himself and what he was doing for the name of God. But along the way, he was blinded by a tremendous light that came with a thundering that everyone heard. All of a sudden, this young man standing so tall in his own confidence was groping around in the darkness, still trying to find his way forward.
God was already ahead of him on that one, too. God went on to the place where Saul would end up and found Ananias and told him that Saul was coming. The plan was that Ananias would meet Saul, lay his hands on him, give him his sight back through the power and plan of the Lord, and be a part of the transformation that would spark an incredible explosion of the Gospel throughout the region and beyond.
Here's the thing: God didn't need Ananias.
He didn't. God blinded Saul all by Himself. He could have restored the man in exactly the same way, all by Himself. One act of God could have been followed by another and the story might have remained much the same - Saul would still have become Paul, would still have traveled throughout the region, would still have written his letters, etc.
But something essential would have been missing.
Namely, the way that God partners with us for His will.
This is a really important part of our relationship with God...and His with us. It's something we absolutely have to understand if we ever hope to understand, even a little bit, this Lord we serve. Yes, there are plenty of gods in this world who act autonomously, who do whatever they want in their own power because they can. They like to demonstrate how great they are by showing what they can do without us, just because they are so much bigger and stronger and greater than us.
Not so with the Lord. Because our God isn't drunk on His own power; He is overflowing with love. And love...requires a partnership. Love requires a relationship. Love requires not a power dynamic, but something much greater.
So throughout the Scriptures, we see God over and over again partnering with us to accomplish His will and purposes.
Abraham has to climb the mountain before there is a ram in the bushes. Noah has to build a boat before his family is saved. The priests have to step into the raging waters before God parts them. Israel has to march around the city before the walls fall. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego have to go into the furnace before God joins them there.
The entire story of the Bible is not just God's story; it's our story with Him. It's His story with us. It's what is accomplished by invitational love - the kind of love that keeps bringing us in to do beautiful things with it. With Him.
The only question, then, is...what is Love trying to do with you today? And...will you join Him?
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